AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University softball team made their biggest Sun Conference statement in over a year on Saturday, finishing off a series sweep of the Webber International University Warriors with wins of 3-2 and 5-3 at the AMU Softball Complex in Ave Maria. The Gyrenes clinched their first series victory in seven years over the Warriors in the opener, then moved into fifth place in The Sun Conference with their win in the finale.

Webber grabbed an early lead in the opener with a run in the top of the first inning, but the Gyrenes took the lead for good with two in the bottom of the second. Cecilia Garrett and Annabella Phillips both singled, putting the duo on second and third with one out. Hailee Howe then tied the game with an RBI single, with an ensuing error also allowing Phillips to score on the play. 

Phillips again made her presence felt in the fourth inning, logging the biggest of her three hits on the day. The junior led off with a triple to right center, then scored two batters later on an RBI groundout from Ashley Altman. That run proved to be crucial, as Webber got a run back in the top of the seventh but could not push across a second, allowing the Gyrenes to clinch the series win.  

In addition to her clinching RBI, Altman threw the first three innings of the contest, allowing just the first inning run. The win went to Gina Gallegos, who entered in the fourth inning and went the distance, tossing the final four innings of the game to earn her eighth win of the season, a team high.

Ave Maria once again found themselves down in the series finale, with Webber grabbing a 2-0 first inning lead. The Gyrenes wasted little time in answering, though, getting a run back in the bottom half. That run was of the unearned variety, as Ashley Lykins reached on an error, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, then scored on a Marisa Michi sacrifice fly.

The rest of that gap was closed in the third inning, when the Gyrenes tied the game in the same fashion as their first run. Lykins again reached on an error, but this time moved up to third on a single from Ryanne Saluter. An RBI groundout from Ashley Nelson pulled the Gyrenes even, tying the game at two after three innings.

A run in the bottom of the fourth gave Ave Maria the lead for the first time in the finale. Ave Maria did the entirety of their damage with two outs, as pinch hitter Annie Nudera blooped a triple to right field. Ashley Altman then gave Ave Maria the lead with an RBI single to right.

The Warriors tied the game back up with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Gyrenes dealt the decisive blow with two in the bottom of the sixth. Once again, a triple got Ave Maria going, this time with Hailee Howe doing the work. Howe scored on an RBI groundout from Karsyn Moore, and AMU added another insurance run on an RBI double from Saluter.

After earning a save in the first game of the series, Ashley Nelson added a win in the finale. The senior moved to 4-1 on the season, tossing the final two innings without allowing the Warriors to score. Nelson came on in relief of Kaedyn Sutton, who allowed just one run in her final four innings of work.

Ave Maria now sits in fifth place in The Sun Conference with nine games to play. The Gyrenes will play three games next weekend in Miami Gardens against the Bobcats of St. Thomas University.