LAKE WALES, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team concluded the regular season in Lake Wales on Thursday, falling 7-0 to the Royals of Warner University. Ave Maria had a chance to clinch a spot in The Sun Conference Tournament with a win, but will now have to await other results in the conference to see if the season will continue.

Warner took the lead early in the series finale, scoring a run in the first to gain an edge they would never relinquish. The Royals added two more runs in the bottom of the second, then all but put the game away with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. The host Royals clinched their spot in Clearwater with the win, which was capped off with a run in the bottom of the sixth, their final trip to the plate.

Despite allowing seven runs, the Gyrenes' pitching staff put forth a quality effort, allowing just two earned runs. Gina Gallegos pitched the first 3.2 innings, while Kaedyn Sutton followed with 2.1 innings with just one run allowed. The Ave Maria pitchers combined to leave ten runners on base, a total that could have kept the Gyrenes within striking distance if not for a quartet for AMU errors.

At the plate, Ave Maria managed four hits, with two going for extra bases thanks to doubles from Marisa Michi and Ashley Altman. Altman also drew a walk, reaching base twice, as did Ryanne Saluter, who walked in addition to a single. 

It is now a waiting game for the Gyrenes, who can only watch as the Sun Conference regular season concludes this weekend. If the Warriors of Webber International win exactly two of the three games in their series against Florida Memorial, the Gyrenes would head to the Sun Conference Tournament as the sixth seed. Any other result would send the winner of the FMU-WIU series to Clearwater. The conference tournament will begin Thursday at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater.