MARION, Ala.- Southern Wesleyan batted .178 in its 2-1 eight-inning loss to Emmanuel in the NCCAA South Region Softball Tournament championship game.

The Lions (30-23) got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning as they scored one run. The Warriors (21-29) tied the game in the top of the seventh as Kelly Cooper singled to score Ashleigh Wilbur. They forced Emmanuel to go three up and three down in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, Southern Wesleyan was able to put one runner on base, but they were unable to score. The Lions first batter singled to get on base and then the Warriors forced a lineout and a groundout to give them a runner in scoring position with two outs. The next batter hit a walk-off single to left field to clinch the region championship.

Cooper went 1-for-3 with one RBI. Wilbur batted 2-for-3 with one run. Sara Sweatt went 1-for-4 with a double.

Natalie Johnson (3-7) pitched 7.2 innings, allowed two runs off of five hits, and had five strikeouts.