THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The No. 14 Thomas University softball team split a doubleheader with Ave Maria Thursday afternoon at the Ave Maria Softball Field.
TU is 33-13 overall with a 17-5 mark in the Sun Conference heading into the final weekend of league play. Thomas wraps up the regular season on Saturday, facing St. Thomas (Fla.) at 1 and 3 p.m. in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Game One
After a stalemate through four innings, Ave Maria broke onto the scoreboard with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Thomas then scored eight unanswered runs, one in the sixth and seven in the seventh, to win, 8-3.
Lauren West improved to 22-4 on the season with the complete game victory. West struck out seven while allowing eight hits and zero earned runs.
The Night Hawks connected on four doubles, as
Gaby Mora was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
Michael Cooper was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI while Corryne Diaz collected three RBI.
Ave Maria hit a trio of singles and TU had one error in the fifth to plate three runs for the Gyrenes.
In the sixth,
Kelsey Connolly put down a bunt for a base hit, then with one out, Cooper reached on a fielder's choice. Diaz then grounded out to second, plating Connolly.
An inning later, Thomas scored seven runs from five hits.
Taisa Kirindongo was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a ground out. With one out,
Kait Stoltz singled to first base, and both runners advanced on the throw. Mora then hit an RBI double to center field. Connolly was intentionally walked, then
A.J. Weiss singled to left field, setting up a two-RBI double to left by Cooper. Diaz then hit a ground-rule double to left, scoring two more TU runs. After a pitching change, Diaz advanced to third on a passed ball, then
Izzy Ekstam grounded out to the pitcher, allowing Diaz to score.
Game Two
Ave Maria struck first with a run in the third, then Thomas matched with one in the top of the fourth. In the fifth inning, AMU scored three more in the fifth to take the 4-1 lead. Each team plated one in the sixth, then Thomas scored just one more in the seventh, falling 5-3.
Margarita Sena struck out three and allowed four runs from seven hits in 4.2 innings. Rebecca Boesen came in for relief, giving up one run from one hit in 1.1 innings.
Weiss was 3-for-5 while Mora, Connolly and Kirindongo each had a pair of hits.
TU committed two errors, allowing one run in the bottom of the third.
In the fourth, Kirindongo singled to left, then advanced to second as Camina put down a sac bunt. Stoltz then connected on a fly to right and AMU committed an error, allowing Kirindongo to score.
AMU scored three runs from four hits in the bottom of the fifth.
With one out in the sixth, Stoltz bunted for a base hit then stole second. Mora hit an infield single and Stoltz scored on the play.
AMU added one more in the bottom of the sixth, to go ahead 5-2.
In the seventh, Kirindongo reached on an error and advanced to second on a base hit to right by Camina. With two outs, Mora drew a walk, then Connolly hit an RBI single to center field for TU's final run.
