CLERMONT, Fla. --- The Ave Maria softball team opened Sun Conference Tournament play with a 3-2 win over the University of South Carolina-Beaufort. The Lady Gyrenes take on top-seed Warner at 3 p.m. in their second game of the double-elimination tournament.
 
USCB jumped out to an early lead with a run in the top of the first. The Lady Gyrenes responded with two-runs in the bottom half of the inning when Deanna Stirtzinger connected on a 2-out, 2-RBI triple to score Alyssa Colding and Sadie Mosher.
 
After USCB tied the game in the top of the third, Ave Maria took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning when the USCB catcher made a wild throw on an pick-off attempt that allowed Colding to score from first on the error.
 
Mosher was able to pitch out of a couple jams in her complete game win. She stranded the bases-loaded on a couple occasions and stranded 11 USCB runners. She finished with six strikeouts and allowed seven hits and two runs.
 
Senior Colding was 3-for-3 in the game with two runs scored.