AVE MARIA, Fla. – Needing wins to guarantee a spot in The Sun Conference tournament, the Thomas University softball team made a huge statement Thursday evening, picking up a pair of victories with 4-1 and 2-1 wins over the Ave Maria Gyrenes at AMU Softball Field.
 
Game One Recap (TU 4, AMU 1)
TU dominated at the plate with 12 hits.  Senior Rebecca Boesen (7-8) had a big rebound at the circle as a starting pitcher, throwing a complete game that only saw three hits allowed with no earned runs while recording six strikeouts. 
 
The Lady Night Hawks (19-15, 10-10 TSC) began the contest with a big bang, as Junior Corryne Diaz delivered her third home run of the season, starting TU off with a 2-0 lead.
 
AMU (19-17, 7-13 TSC) took advantage of Thomas' lone miscue in the bottom of the third, as an overthrown putout throw to first base allowed the Gyrenes' Kalie Romig to advance two more bases to third, setting up a Paxton Hoop RBI to cut the Hunter Green & White's lead to one run (2-1).
 
A leadoff single by Freshman Jaelynn Vialpando set the tone for TU in the top of the fourth, bringing in Freshman Cheyann Blackmon as a pinch runner.  A hit to center by Freshman Adreanna Killingsworth, paired with a stolen base, put Blackmon in scoring position at third base.  The outfielder would then score on the next at-bat, as a ground out hit from Freshman Rebecca Dorsett brought home Blackmon to extend the lead 3-1.  The RBI was Dorsett's first-ever at the NAIA level.
 
Thomas would cement a win in the seventh inning with four base hits that included a run scored by Diaz to secure a 4-1 win for TU.   
 
Game Two Recap (TU 2, AMU 1)
With the bats limited in this game, the Lady Night Hawks knew it would take a defensive stop to put away the Gyrenes, as only 11 total hits were produced by both teams.  Junior Larran Carter (6-3) allowed one earned run in six hits and recorded six strikeouts.
 
Thomas had a different start compared to Game One, going 1-2-3 in the first inning.  On AMU's second at-bat, starting pitcher Junior Shaela Brown took a line drive to the back, quickly ending the day for the Douglas, Ga. native as Carter entered the circle to take over.  The Gyrenes wasted no time getting more runners on base, loading the bags in Carter's first two batters faced, but the team's efforts were dashed as a putout in foul territory and a Miriam Padgett pop up ended the inning.
 
Ave Maria quickly found a way to re-load the bases in four at-bats in the second inning with two singles and a walk, but once again were denied a scoring opportunity, as Hoop was struck out and Angela Cataldo's hit was put out to keep the Gyrenes scoreless.
 
Both teams went three up three down in the third inning, as the fourth inning saw just one hit between both teams.
 
The Lady Night Hawks broke the deadlock in the fifth inning, as miscues from the Gyrenes led to a run scored by Sophomore Alexus Johnson for the game's first run.  With runners on second and third, Senior Holly Campbell doubled down the left line for her 22nd RBI of the season, extending the lead 2-0.
 
Down by two runs in the sixth inning, the Holy Queen's team worked to cut the deficit to one run.  With one out and runners on first and third, Aylin Naranjo hit a sacrifice fly that led to a run scored, but a costly gamble by Morgan Grimm to tag up at second backfired, as the throw to home fell short of home plate, allowing Vialpando to make the throw in time at second for the third out of the inning.
 
The Gyrenes would try one last time to tie the game in the seventh, but would go 1-2-3 for the third time in the contest, completing the 2-1 win for the Hunter Green & White and the doubleheader sweep.
 
TU by the Numbers
2:          Runs Allowed on the day
4:          Complete games for Rebecca Boesen with a 0.00 ERA
6:          Runs Scored on the day
10:        The Sun Conference Wins
16:        Hits on the day
80:        Total Team Stolen Bases on the season
190:      Total Strikeouts between Boesen, Carter and Brown
 
Thomas crosses the Everglades and into Miami Gardents to face the St. Thomas Bobcats on Saturday, with the first pitch slated for Noon. 
 
The Lady Night Hawks can clinch a TSC postseason berth with a doubleheader sweep over STU, coupled with a pair of Southeastern losses; the Fire face #20 Warner Saturday.
 
For up-to-date information on these games and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU softball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawksSoftb.