AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team went warp speed for their fifth conference win of the 2024 season on Friday, needing just an hour and 15 minutes to pick up a 4-0 victory over the Lions of Florida Memorial University. Gina Gallegos fired a complete game shutout, and the Gyrenes scored twice in the second and twice in the sixth to pull even with the Lions in the standings and give AMU possession of the sixth Sun Conference Tournament spot.

The Gyrenes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, giving Gallegos all the run support she would need. Cecilia Garrett led off with a single, and Annabella Phillips followed with a single of her own. Garrett would speed to third on the hit, then score when the ball was misplayed by a Lion, an error that also moved Phillips to second. A Karsyn Moore grounder moved Phillips to third, and a single from Ashley Altman made it 2-0 Gyrenes.

AMU would add two more runs in the sixth, putting the game all but out of reach to the Lions. Once again, it was Garrett and Phillips that started the action, with Garrett singling and Phillips driving in the run with a double. Phillips again moved up a base on an error, and it was once again Altman that ended the scoring, thanks to another RBI single.

Gina Gallegos was as efficient as you can be in the circle on Friday, tossing a complete game shutout on just 68 pitches. The junior scattered five hits, with two erased on Ave Maria double plays, while striking out three hitters. Gallegos left seven runners on base in her seven innings of work, picking up her ninth win of the season.

Ave Maria's hits came in bunches, with four Gyrenes ending the afternoon with two hits each, accounting for eight of the team's nine hits. Marisa Michi, Cecilia Garrett, Annabella Phillips, and Ashley Altman all had two hits, including doubles for both Michi and Phillips. The other hit, a single, was provided by Ryanne Saluter.

The win guaranteed a winning record for the Gyrenes, and gave AMU the series advantage heading into Saturday's doubleheader. One Ave Maria win on Saturday would give the Gyrenes the tiebreaker over the Lions with one week to play in the season, while a sweep would put Ave two games clear and drop the team's magic number to one. The doubleheader is set for a noon start, with Senior Day festivities before the first game.