KISSIMMEE, Fla. (February 27, 2021) – The No. 25 nationally-ranked Webber International University softball team split its two games on Saturday at the Fortune Road Athletic Complex, first winning 9-7 over Spring Arbor University (Mich.) before falling 8-7 to Point Park University (Pa.) during The Spring Games tournament.

Game 1 (Webber 9, Spring Arbor 7):

• The day started on a near home run for Webber from Mary-Margaret Maggard, who instead settled for a leadoff double off the fence in the top of the first inning.
• After a walk by Alyssa Rodriguez and a double steal to put two runners into scoring position, Victoria Atkinson gave Webber a 2-0 lead with a double to right center.
• In the top of the fifth, the Warriors got another two-run hit as Sabrina Hebding singled down the left field line with two outs to score Cassidy Roberts and Samantha Rolfe and put Webber ahead by a score of 4-1.
• In the top of the sixth, Webber had a third two-run inning as a squeeze bunt by Faith Campopiano scored Kelsea Friend, and then a sacrifice bunt by Atkinson scored Maggard to make it 6-2.
• Then in the top of the seventh inning, Maggard smashed a three-run home run to right center to make the score 9-3, and that homer would prove to be pivotal as Spring Arbor hit a three-run homer of its own in the bottom of the seventh to try and mount a comeback.
• After that homer by Spring Arbor would have tied the game if not for Maggard's home run, the Cougars scored again with what would have been the winning run if not for Maggard.
• After six straight hits for Spring Arbor in the bottom of the seventh, the Cougars had runners on second and third with only one out before Kayla Swinson (4-0) re-entered to pitch and got back-to-back foul outs to end the game.
• Offensively, Maggard finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two walks in addition to her three-run home run.
• The Warrior hitters, meanwhile, combined for 10 walks and four sacrifice hits.

 
Game 2 (Webber 7, Point Park 8):

• Mary-Margaret Maggard led off the bottom of the first with a double to center field and again scored the first run of the game, this time on a groundout by Cassidy Roberts.
• In the bottom of the second inning, an RBI-double through the left side by Kelsea Friend tied the score at 2-2 before a three-run home run just fair down the left field line in the top of third by Point Park.
• Webber trailed 8-2 after three and a half innings and then trailed 8-4 entering the bottom of the seventh.
• The Warriors attempted to come all the way back as Friend and Maggard started things off with back-to-back singles before both advancing on a wild pitch. A sacrifice fly by Alyssa Rodriguez scored Friend to make it 8-5, and then back-to-back errors by the Pioneers with two outs kept the inning alive and allowed two more runs to cross the plate before a pop out to second base sent the Warriors back home with a tough loss.
• Maggard, Friend, Victoria Atkinson and Abigail Thompson each had two hits during the final game.

 
Next up, the Warriors will return home to Nancy Nichols Field in Babson Park, Florida, to host their third fellow nationally-ranked team in the early going of the season, No. 18 Grand View University. The doubleheader between Webber and GVU will start at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3. After that, Webber will compete in the Gulf Coast Invitational in Gulf Shores, Alabama, from Friday, March 5, until Sunday, March 7.