THOMASVILLE, Ga. (May 1, 2021) – After a complete game shutout in game one by Kayla Swinson, the nationally-recognized Webber International University softball team split its final two games of the 2021 regular season at Thomas University and claimed a share of first place in The Sun Conference softball standings. In the end, the Warriors defeated the Night Hawks 2-0 in game one, but then lost 3-2 in game two despite leading 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Webber's record moved to 28-22 overall and 15-9 in The Sun Conference while Thomas' moved to 21-17 and 12-12, good enough for the Night Hawks to clinch the sixth and final seed for the upcoming Sun Conference Tournament. The Warriors, meanwhile, claimed their first TSC regular-season championship since 2012 after the College of Coastal Georgia (29-11, 15-9) swept Warner University (30-16, 14-10) on Saturday to tie Webber for first place in the conference standings. The Warriors are the regular-season champs by virtue of their two-game sweep on the road over the Mariners on April 20.

"I am so proud of this team and their fight all season long competing against the best of the best," said Webber's Head Coach Kristy Burton. "We have one of the strongest conferences in the nation, and we could not be more proud of the progression of this team, and we're not done yet. We also want to give a quick shout out to all the seniors on this team. They have helped Webber became a first class program on and off the field. As a coaching staff we are just so proud. Go Warriors."

Game one between Webber and Thomas was scoreless until the top of the fifth inning when a two-out triple to right field by Haley Saylor scored Cassidy Roberts. It was only the Warriors' second hit of the game to that point, but then in the top of the sixth inning, Webber loaded the bases with only one out after singles by Kaitlin Cockcroft, Mary-Margaret Maggard and Victoria Atkinson. That led to a hit by pitch by Roberts to score Cockcroft and double the Warriors' lead to 2-0.

Swinson (13-5), meanwhile, held Thomas to only one hit, no walks and four strikeouts through the first five innings and at one point, retired 11 consecutive batters after a one-out single in the second inning.

In the bottom of the seventh inning against Swinson, the Night Hawks led off with a double followed by a walk to bring the winning run to the plate. After a sacrifice bunt to move the two runners into scoring position, Swinson dug down deep and got a called strike three followed by a pop out to the shortstop Roberts to preserve the shutout.

In the end, Swinson allowed four hits, one walk and struck out five batters, and also finished with the eighth complete game and fourth shutout performance of her freshman season.

Then in game two, neither team scored until the top of the fourth inning when Maggard led off with a single to left field, advanced to second on a sacrifice by Atkinson, stole third base and then scored on an errant throw by the Thomas left fielder after a fly out.

Two innings later, Maggard scored again to make it 2-0 in the sixth inning as she hit a single to center field and advanced to third on a single to center by Atkinson before crossing the plate on a sacrifice fly to center by Roberts, scoring just before a tag out at second base that ended the inning.

Emma Maitland (11-9) did not allow a hit until with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but after getting two outs to start off the bottom of the sixth, she gave up three straight singles followed by a three-run double. The Warriors then went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh inning as Thomas completed the come-from-behind victory to clinch its spot in the postseason.

Maggard finished 2-for-3 in both games for the Warriors on Saturday.

Webber will now enter The Sun Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed. The TSC Tournament is set to begin on Thursday, May 6, at PFX Athletics Legends Way Ballfields in Clermont, Florida, and is scheduled to run until Saturday, May 8, to decide a winner.