CLERMONT, Fla. (May 4, 2019) – After two inspiring wins during day one of the Sun Conference Softball Championship on Thursday, May 2, the Webber International University softball team's 2019 season came to an end on Friday, May 3, as the Warriors fell 4-3 to No. 20 the University of South Carolina Beaufort before falling 8-4 to Thomas University in the final game of day two at PFX Athletics Legends Way Ballfields.

It was a day that featured five games of softball and saw four teams eliminated from the tournament with only two remaining. Webber was the only team in the tournament to win two games the day before on Thursday.

Head Coach Kristy Burton, who finishes up her first season at the helm of the Warriors, said, "What a season. This team really laid a new foundation for this program to grow on. Coach Kendall Core and I hate to see this season come to an end, but we are proud of this team's success. These girls bought into our vision from day one and proved a lot of people wrong along the way. We hate that it is over, but we couldn't be more proud of these girls."

Webber's first game on Friday against USCB, the defending TSC tournament champion, ended in heartbreaking fashion as Webber was only one out away from heading to the tournament championship itself, but instead it was the Sand Sharks who scored three unearned runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh to stun everyone in attendance.

The Warriors led 3-1 from the second inning until the seventh, but after a sacrifice fly to left field by USCB made it a one-run game in Webber's favor at 3-2 in the seventh, leaving the tying run on second base with two outs, the Sand Sharks got a base hit through the middle just past the outstretched glove of Alyssa Rodriguez to tie it. Then, after another single moved the winning run to second base, yet another hit, this time to left field and off the glove of a diving Kaitlin Cockcroft, ended the game in a disappointing way.

It was the second walk off win in as many games for USCB.

Earlier in the game, Webber got off to a quick start with two runs on four hits in the very first inning as Ka'Deisha McCowen led off the game with a double up the middle and come around to score on a two-out single up the middle by Samantha Rolfe. Rolfe then moved to third on a single down the right field line by Cockcroft and scored on a hit down the left field line by Cassidy Roberts to make it 2-0.

Then, in the top of the second, McCowen struck again with a two-out bunt single before scoring all the way from first base on a double off the fence in right center by Mary-Margaret Maggard to put the Warriors ahead 3-1.

Unfortunately, after a rain delay in the top of the second, the Warrior offense was stymied from there and held to only three hits the rest of the way, allowing USCB to make its come back in the final inning.

Emma Maitland (12-6) gave it all she had and did finish with her second complete game in a row, but it was not enough in the final inning as she finished with a line of 6.2 innings pitched, eight hits, four runs, only one earned run, four walks and three strikeouts.

Maitland pitched a total of 20 innings in two days at the conference tournament.

After falling in the semifinal of the winners' bracket, Webber had a chance to get back to the championship in another semifinal matchup in the final game of Friday against Thomas. In that one, Webber led 1-0 in the bottom of the first as McCowen got things started off on the right foot again, leading off with a single up the middle before stealing second base with one out and scoring on the ensuing overthrow by the Night Hawks' catcher.

Unfortunately, Thomas took control from there as the Night Hawks put up four runs in a top of the second inning that included a three-run triple; and then in the top of the fourth, Thomas added two more on a no-doubt, two-run home run to left center field to make it a 6-1 advantage.

Webber did get two runs back in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-single to left by Cockcroft and a RBI bunt single by Rodriguez, but the four-run second inning for USCB was still too much for the Warriors to overcome.

Despite the ending, it was a successful first season for the Warriors under their new Head Coach, Kristy Burton. Burton helped guide the Warriors to their most wins in a single season since 2016 with a final record of 27-19, and its most conference wins since 2012.

"Being ranked seventh in the preseason to finishing tied for third and beating every team in our conference at least once, this helps set the tone for next year," added Burton. "We are thankful for all of our school, family and fans for the support this season, and we look forward to seeing you all in the fall. Go Warriors."