AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team played one of their most complete games of the 2024 season on Friday, taking the opening game of a Sun Conference series from the Webber International University Warriors by an 11-3 score. The Gyrenes used a pair of big innings to earn their second consecutive conference win, pulling the Gyrenes just one game from the final Sun Conference playoff spot.
The Gyrenes never trailed against the Warriors, scoring the game's first four runs. The first three came in the bottom of the first, beginning with Ashley Lykins. Lykins led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a groundout, then scored on a wild pitch. AMU added two more runs with two outs, as Maya Gonzalez clubbed an RBI single to score both Ryanne Saluter and Ashley Nelson.
Another run crossed the plate in the bottom of the second, with another manufactured run. Cecilia Garrett led off with a single, one of three hits on the game, then stole second and took third on a groundout. Ashley Altman then made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Webber got back in the game with three runs in the top of the fourth, but the Gyrenes responded with seven unanswered runs, beginning with runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Ave Maria's run in the bottom of the fourth was another manufactured one from Garrett, who singled, stole second, and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a bunt off the bat of Lykins. The run in the fifth came from Gonzalez, who remained red-hot with an RBI double to up Ave Maria's lead to 6-3.
The game seemed close heading to the bottom of the sixth, but the Gyrenes turned a potential nailbiter into a run rule blowout. AMU loaded the bases thanks to a singles by Garrett and Lykins, as well as a walk to Lykins. Marisa Michi cleared the bases with a three-run double, then scored herself on an RBI double from Ashley Nelson. Annabella Phillips then ended the contest, hitting a single to right center to score Nelson for the eleventh and final Ave Maria run.
Kaedyn Sutton was the winning pitcher for the Gyrenes, allowing just one earned run over 3.2 innings of work. Nelson came in and threw the final 2.1 innings of the contest, picking up her fifth save of the season. Nelson's fifth save of the season marks the highest total recorded by any Sun Conference player in the past 15 years, at minimum.
Ave Maria will have a chance for their first Sun Conference series victory of the season on Saturday, as the Gyrenes and Warriors play two more at the AMU Softball Complex. A Gyrene victory in either game of the doubleheader would ensure AMU holds the tiebreaker, as both AMU and Webber are in the mix for a Sun Conference Tournament spot. First pitch of the twinbill is scheduled for high noon in Ave Maria.
