CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Ave Maria softball team split on day one of the 2015 Southern Challenge Tournament. The Blue and Green opened the day with a 2-1 win against Point (Ga.) before falling to Webber International in their second game 3-1. AMU returns to the field on Saturday when they take on Middle Georgia and Coastal Georgia.
 
It was a pitcher's duel to start game one with neither pitcher allowing a run until the bottom of the sixth inning. Cheyenne Benson improved to 1-1 on the season after going seven innings and allowing one unearned run on seven hits. She struck out five batters.
 
Sarah Vinci broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the sixth when she singled in pinch-runner Madison Benitez. Caitlin Constance followed that up with an RBI single plating Emily Blackmore for what ended up being the game-winning run.
 
Point got a run in the top of the seventh but Benson locked things down for the final out, stranding two Point runners.
 
The Lady Gyrenes fell behind early in their second game of the day as Webber International tripled in a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead after one. The Warriors added a third run in the bottom of the third inning.
 
Constance hit a sac fly in the top of the seventh to score Miranda Dessecker for the Lady Gyrenes' only run of the game.
 
Emily Lemin fell to 0-2 on the season with the loss. She allowed three hits and three runs over six innings.