MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Ave Maria Softball team brought home two runs in the first inning but couldn't hold on as they fell to the Florida Memorial Lions 4-2. FMU scored all four of their runs in the fifth and sixth innings to take a late lead.

The Gyrenes started off hot with two runs in the first inning. Cecilia Garrett got the game started with a leadoff single. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and was then brought home on a sac fly from Hailee Howe. With two outs, the Gyrenes weren't down scoring yet. Annabella Phillips laced a double to center field and was then brought home in the next at bat with Sienna Franklin reaching on an error. Mary McIntire singled after that as the Gyrenes finished the frame with three hits.

However, things quickly quieted down for the Gyrenes at the plate as they only got three more hits in the game.

Things started off very smoothly for Gina Gallegos in the circle as she pitched a perfect 3.2 innings to start. Three of those 11 outs were strikeouts, which tied a season high. A double broke up the perfecto but did not harm as a flyout ended the inning.

Florida Memorial got their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut Ave Maria's lead in half.

In the sixth, the Lions burst through and brought home three runs off three hits, a walk and an error to take a 4-2 lead. The Gyrenes made a move to Claudia Knowles who got two outs to end the frame, but the damage was done.

In the top of the seventh, the Gyrenes got a baserunner on with a walk but couldn't do anything about it as they fell 4-2.

Before getting pulled, Gallegos struck out two more batters to set a new season-high of five strikeouts.

With the loss, Ave Maria falls to 16-20-1 overall and 5-8 in conference play.

The Gyrenes will conclude their weekend series with the Lions Saturday, March 29, with a doubleheader. First pitches are set for 1 and 3 p.m. and both games will be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.