KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 4, 2020) – On the very same day that it was announced as receiving votes in the first regular-season edition of the 2020 NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the Webber International University softball team earned two big time wins at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex in Kissimmee, Florida. In game one of the day against Siena Heights University, the Warriors needed four runs in the bottom of the seventh to come back to win 9-7; and then in the final game,
Emma Maitland shutout No. 11-nationally ranked Indiana Wesleyan University 8-0.
With the pair of victories, Webber improved to 15-1 overall and 11-0 in neutral site games and is now on an eight-game winning streak.
COACH'S CORNER: Webber's Head Softball Coach
Kristy Burton said, "We are just so proud of the girls. We came out to win today, and it's exciting to see us continue to play as a team and compete in every game. Offensively, we were nearly unstoppable and were threatening in almost every inning of both games. We just continued to push runs across the board. We were all impressed to see
Kaitlin Cockcroft hit three consecutive home runs, one of which was a three-run bomb that came up big for us in the bottom of the seventh to walk it off against Siena Heights. A lot of the girls came up big today, and it was fun to be a part of. Our pitchers continue to have presence on the mound allowing our defense to play confident. We are going to be tested with this upcoming schedule but are looking forward to seeing this team represent our university the right way. Thank you all for coming out, and see you all in Alabama."
Game 1 (Webber 9, Siena Heights 7)
- Down 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Alyssa Rodriguez put down an effective sacrifice bunt to move Samantha Rolfe to third base and Cassidy Roberts, who represented the tying run, to second base. Sabrina Hebding followed with a double to center field to score Rolfe and make it a one-run game at 7-6 with one out.
- Then with two outs and the tying run on third base and the winning run at second, Kaitlin Cockcroft came up huge with the game-winning home run to right center field to walk it off. It was Cockcroft's first home run of her senior campaign and was the fourth of her career, but it would not be her last of the day.
- Earlier in the game, Webber led 3-1 after scoring a run with two outs in each of the first three innings. Mary-Margaret Maggard doubled with two outs before scoring on the ensuing RBI-single by Victoria Atkinson in both of the first and third innings, and in the second inning it was Hebding who singled to score Roberts and make it 2-0 at the time.
- In the bottom of the fourth inning, Webber trailed 4-3 before a two-out rally starting with another single by Hebding led to an RBI-hit by Cockcroft and a bases loaded walk by Maggard to give the Warriors back the lead at 5-4.
- Hebding finished 3-for-3 with three RBI's, two runs scored, a double and a stolen base; Cockcroft was 2-for-4 with four RBI's and the game-winning home run; Maggard was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two doubles; and Atkinson was 2-for-4 with two RBI's.
- Starter Raven White allowed five hits and four runs, but only one earned run, through the first five innings of the contest while Dariyen Moss (2-1) gave up five hits and three runs, none of which were earned, across the final two innings.
Game 2 (Webber 8, No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan 0):
- On the very first pitch of the game, Kaitlin Cockcroft hit her second home run in as many pitches, sending one over the center field fence to make it 1-0.
- Similarly to the first game of the day, Webber scored in each of the first four innings of the contest as the Warriors added three runs in the top of the second. With two outs, Cockcroft homered again to center, her third homer in as many at bats, to make the score 2-0 before a two-run single to center by Victoria Atkinson made it 4-0.
- In the top of the third, Webber made it 5-0 as Cassidy Roberts led off with a single up the middle before scoring with two outs on a sacrifice fly to center by Sabrina Hebding.
- The final two runs for Webber came in the top of the seventh as Alyssa Rodriguez scored Roberts on a sacrifice bunt before Hebding added yet another RBI to her day with a two-out hit up the middle to bring in Krista Hoyt.
- Roberts was 4-for-4 with two runs scored in game two while Cockcroft was 2-for-5 with two solo home runs and Kelsea Friend was 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
- Emma Maitland tossed her fifth complete game and third shutout of the season to improve to 6-0. She scattered only three hits and one walk across all seven innings while striking out five.
Combined Hitting Statistics:
2020 NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Poll:
- Webber softball was mentioned in the receiving votes category of the first regular-season edition of the NAIA Softball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, which was released on Wednesday, March 4.
- The Warriors received 33 total voting points, the sixth most among teams in the receiving votes category.
- The Warriors are one of three Sun Conference teams to appear in the most recent edition of the poll as the College of Coastal Georgia came in at No. 19 and Warner University was put at No. 25 all while the University of South Carolina Beaufort dropped from the top-25 and did not receive any votes.
- The next regular-season poll will be announced in two weeks on Wednesday, March 18.
NEXT UP: Next up for Webber softball two days from now will be the Gulf Shores Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Webber will play at 5:30 p.m. against Freed-Hardeman University (Tenn.) and at 8 p.m. against No. 10 Georgia Gwinnett College on Friday, March 6. Then on Saturday, March 7, the Warriors will battle No. 8 the University of Mobile (Ala.) at 12:30 p.m. followed by another 8 p.m. start time, this time against Grace College (Ind.).
