WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (February 14, 2020) – The Webber International University softball team started off its four-game stretch in the 2020 RussMatt Solftball NAIA Invitational with two close, hard-fought wins on Friday at the Polk State Diamond Plex in Winter Haven, Florida. The Warriors shutout No. 15 Olivet Nazarene University 2-0 before defeating Roosevelt University 3-2 with a walk off single in the bottom of the seventh inning.

"What a perfect Valentine's Day for Webber softball," spoke Head Coach Kristy Burton. "We came out to play and it was fun to see this team come together and play to win. The energy, the fight, and the passion we had was unstoppable. This is a very special team and today we took a huge step forward. I am excited to continue to build on this success. Defensively we played very clean softball making huge plays when it mattered in both games. Our pitching staff helped to control the tempo in each game. Offensively we did a great job working as a team to push runs across when it mattered."

Helping Webber (4-0 overall) defeat Olivet Nazarene for the third year in a row was starting pitcher Emma Maitland (2-0), who allowing only four hits and two walks over all seven innings of the contest while striking out seven batters.

Maitland did not allow a runner to reach second base against her until the bottom of the sixth inning, and then in the seventh Maitland worked around a one-out single with three strikeouts to give Webber its first win over a nationally-ranked team so far this season.

Despite finishing the game with only two hits, Webber broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning as Victoria Atkinson doubled to left center field with one out and moved to third on a two-out single to left field by Cassidy Roberts before scoring on a walk by Anna Schutzler.

Against Roosevelt, Raven White (2-0), just like Maitland did, also earned her second win of the season with a complete game performance as she allowed only five hits and two runs over her seven innings.

The Warriors took a 2-0 lead after only one inning with a two-out rally featuring a single by Mary-Margaret Maggard, a double by Atkinson and a two-run single by Samantha Rolfe.

Then, after White stranded the go-ahead run on third base in the top of the seventh inning, another two-out rally for Webber won it in the bottom of the seventh as Maggard doubled before scoring on the ensuring walk off single by Atkinson.

Maggard finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored against Roosevelt while Atkinson was 2-for-4 and Rolfe was 2-for-3.

Next up on Sunday, February 16, Webber will finish up the RussMatt Invitational with a doubleheader against Roosevelt and 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

"We are always thankful to have the fans and support we have, and we hope to see everyone on Sunday," added Burton.