HATTIESBURG, Miss. (May 16, 2022) - The Webber International University softball team matched up against No. 14 Marian University in its first game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. It was a tightly contested game but the Warriors would hold off the Knights to earn the 2-1 victory.

Kayla Swinson would be the starting pitcher for the Warriors, pitching the first three innings and allowing just one run on two hits and picking up three strikeouts. She would be relieved by Morgan Mills who would close out the remaining four innings, allowing no runs, two hits, and striking out three.

The Knights (40-12) would score the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI-single with two outs. Swinson would strike out the side to end the inning without allowing any more runs to cross. With two outs and runners on first and second in the top of the third, the Warriors would respond after Abigail Thompson would hit an RBI-single that would score Alycia Celia. Thompson would take second base on the throw to the cutoff, on a close play at second, Kelsea Friend would come across to score as well to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead. Shutout pitching by Mills would hold Marian scoreless for the remainder of the game, earning Webber the victory.

The Warriors were led by Thompson who was 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. Brandy Barquin and Krista Hoyt would have the only other two hits for Webber in the game. Friend and Celia would score the only two runs.

Webber will now face Bryan College on Tuesday, May 17, at 12 p.m. The Warriors faced Bryan early in the regular season in a doubleheader that resulted in a split. Webber fell 3-1 in game one before defeating the Lions 11-3 in six innings in game two.