CLERMONT, Fla. – The third-seeded Thomas University softball team won three games on Friday to play their way into the championship game of the Sun Conference Softball Championship Tournament held at PFX Athletics - Legends Way Ballfields.

The Night Hawks eliminated top-seeded Coastal Georgia, the Sun Conference regular season champion, by downing the Mariners, 6-3, Friday morning. TU went on to down sixth-seeded Warner, 14-9, after falling (9-1) to the Royals Thursday in the first round. Then Friday night, Thomas defeated fourth seed Webber International, 8-4, to move in to the championship game. 

Thomas will face USC Beaufort on Saturday at noon in the championship game. With a TU victory, the teams will play the "if necessary" game at 2:30 p.m. 

Game One
In the top of the first, left fielder Gaby Mora scored on a wild pitch, then Coastal answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame and one in the second. A three-run homer from pinch hitter Amy Latner put TU up in the top of the fourth, then a two-run single to left by designated hitter Addyson Mauldin in the top of the seventh sealed the game for TU. 

Mora was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, while center fielder Barbara Woll and Mauldin each tagged a pair of hits. Latner's home run was her first of the year. 

Starter Rebecca Boesen pitched the first 0.2 innings, allowing two runs from one hit, a walk and a wild pitch, then Emily Bowne came in for 0.2 innings of relief, giving up three hits, one walk and one run. Sheala Brown finished the final 5.2 innings, earning her eighth win of the year, by striking out four and walking just one. 

Game Two
Warner plated two in the first, then Thomas put up eight runs from seven hits in the bottom of the frame. TU added one in the third, then Warner scored four in the fourth and two in the fifth to bring the score within one. The Night Hawks scored one in the fifth, Warner matched with one in the sixth, but TU scored four more in the sixth to take the 14-9 win. 

Thomas connected on 14 hits while Warner recorded 18. 

Woll was 3-for-4 with a pair of triples, five RBI, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base. Shortstop Holly Campbell was 3-for-4 with a double, two RBI, a walk and four runs scored.

Boesen (11-7) earned the win, striking out one while allowing eight runs – seven earned – from 14 hits and one walk in 4.2 innings. Brown came in for 2.1 innings of relief, allowing just one run from four hits. 

Game Three
After Webber International scored one run in the bottom of the first, Thomas scored four in the second and two in the fourth. WIU added two in the fourth, but TU matched with a pair in the sixth before WIU ended the scoring with one run in the sixth. 

Woll came up big again for the Night Hawks, going 3-for-4 with a three-RBI triple and a two-run homer. Campbell went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. 

Bowne (4-1) started the game and earned the victory by striking out two and allowing just three runs – two earned – from five hits in 3.1 innings. Boesen came in for 2.1 innings of relief, then Brown picked up the save holding WIU scoreless in 1.1 innings.