Warriors Win Softball Tournament in Extra-Inning Battle
Donnie Smith
CLERMONT, Fla.—In 2015, the Webber International softball team didn’t participate in The Sun Conference Tournament.
In 2016, it won the tournament.
Kara Seymour’s one-out RBI single to left scored Kayla Montgomery in the bottom of the 12
th inning to give the Warriors a 7-6 win over USC Beaufort and the tournament championship with a 3-0 record.
Webber (29-14) trailed 6-4 heading to the bottom of the seventh after the Sand Sharks (33-22) added a run in the top half on a sacrifice fly by Brodie McGregor. USCB was two outs away from forcing the “If Game,” but Laura Borders cranked a two-run home run over the right field wall to tie the game at six.
The Warriors jumped out to a 4-0 lead after scoring two runs in the second and two more in the third. USCB took the lead in the fourth, scoring five runs off starting pitcher Erika Bellinger, including a pair of bases-loaded hit by pitches, and a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Kayla Boyle brought in two more an a single to shallow centerfield.
USCB earned a trip to the championship game with a 3-1 win over top seeded Southeastern in the first game of the day. After the Fire took a 1-0 lead after the first, the Sand Sharks tied it in the fifth on a double to left center by Missy Hughes. USCB added two more in the seventh on an error.
The Fire threatened in the bottom of the inning with the bases loaded and one out, but Abby Pac coaxed strikeouts from the last two SEU hitters.
Webber International will receive an automatic berth in the NAIA National Tournament. The pairings will be announced Tuesday at 7 p.m.