AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team earned a massive victory in the finale of their Sun Conference series with the Florida Memorial Lions, clinching a series victory with a 6-2 win in the rubber match of the series. Following a 5-0 Florida Memorial win in Saturday's opener, a Gyrene win ensured AMU a path to the postseason with two wins next week. Before the contest, AMU honored the six members of its senior class.

Florida Memorial fully controlled game one, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before adding three runs in the fifth and another in the seventh. The Gyrenes had chances early, getting runners into scoring position in four of the first six innings, but could never capitalize as the Lions evened the series.

The Gyrenes did put seven hits on the board in the losing effort, including two each from Maya Gonzalez and Annabella Phillips. AMU's pitchers combined for an overall quality outing, despite taking the loss. Gonzalez tossed the first 4.2 innings with just two earned runs, while Ashley Nelson recorded the final seven outs, allowing just one run.

Ave Maria again found themselves down in the series finale, trailing 1-0 after three and a half innings. After ten innings without a run on Saturday, the Gyrenes finally broke through to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth, doing all of their damage with two outs. Gonzalez singled up the middle to end an FMU perfect game, then scored on an RBI double from Marisa Michi. Michi then scored herself on an RBI single from Cecilia Garrett, giving Ave Maria the lead.

That fourth inning rally proved to be the spark for AMU, who added another three runs in the bottom of the fifth. AMU got runners to second and third on a Phillips single, a fielder's choice that failed to get any outs, and a sacrifice. 

Ashley Lykins made it 3-1 with an RBI single, and Ryanne Saluter followed with an RBI fielder's choice before Gonzalez drove in the final run of the inning on a groundout. AMU would add a final run in the sixth inning, with a Phillips sacrifice fly bringing home Garrett, who started the inning with a double, her second hit of the finale.

Once again, AMU's pitching did an outstanding job in giving the Gyrenes a chance to win. Gina Gallegos started the contest, and did not allow an earned run in three innings of work. Kaedyn Sutton came on in relief and did not allow a run until the seventh, picking up her seventh win of the season with four solid innings out of the bullpen. 

For Ave Maria, the math is simple entering the final week of the regular season - a series win over Warner will send the Gyrenes to Clearwater for The Sun Conference Tournament. The series begins with a doubleheader Wednesday night, with the series finale at noon on Thursday in Lake Wales. First pitch of the Wednesday doubleheader is slated for 5:00 p.m.