BABSON PARK, Fla. — The Ave Maria Softball team split a doubleheader with the Webber Warriors to win their first Sun Conference series of the season. The Gyrenes took the first game of the doubleheader 8-5 to clinch the series but then dropped the finale 5-3.
The first game of the doubleheader started off pretty wild with seven combined runs between the two teams. Ave Maria opened the game with four runs. Mary McIntire did the most damage with a two-RBI single to bring home Kate McIntyre and Annabella Phillips to put the Gyrenes up 4-0.
The Warriors responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half to cut the lead down to one.
Things settled down after the opening frame. Ave Maria added a run in the third off a double steal and then scored three more runs in the fifth. Alexa Hehl and Genevieve Peterson hit back-to-back RBI singles, and then Cecilia Garrett laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring home the final run.
In the circle, Claudia Knowles entered in the second and kept the Warriors quiet for most of the game. Knowles struck out four batters which was a season-high for the freshman. Webber scored two runs on her in the fifth inning, but then Annabella Phillips came in and cleaned up the final 2.1 innings to secure the win for the Gyrenes. Knowles got her first win of the season while Phillips got the first save for the Gyrene pitching staff.
Ave Maria tried for the series sweep in the finale but just ran out of gas.
Webber opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with two runs. Ave Maria tied it up for a moment in the top of the second off a two-RBI single from Peterson, scoring Siena Franklin and McIntyre.
However, Webber immediately got their two run lead back in the bottom of the second.
The Gyrenes struck again in the fifth inning with an RBI double from Phillips to bring home Garrett, but just like in the second, Webber matched Ave Maria to keep their two run lead.
Ave Maria got a baserunner in each of the final two innings but couldn't bring them home.
Gallegos returned to the circle in game two after her complete game shutout on Friday, but gave up the five runs off 11 hits and one walk. She did get two more strikeouts to finish the weekend with four.
At the plate, Peterson and Phillips tied for the most hits, each with three over the two games. Peterson also led the team in RBI with three. The second game was her first multi-RBI game of the season.
With the split, Ave Maria's record moves to 13-16-1 and 2-4 in conference play. The Gyrenes got their first series win of the year. In the Sun Conference standings, the Gyrenes are now tied for fifth place with the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans.
The Gyrenes are home for their next series, hosting the Warner Royals. The series starts Thursday and concludes Friday with a doubleheader. Warner was swept by Southeastern over the weekend dropping their conference record to 1-5. Thursday's first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.
