Story by Chad Waller, Director of Athletics Communications & Media
Pictures courtesy of Paul Penders Photography, Click HERE to order

CLERMONT, Fla. – (Box Score) (Bracket) Emily Maves finished with 12 strikeouts and pitched No. 4 Davenport (Mich.) to a 3-2 victory over No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan in an elimination game at the 2017 NAIA Softball World Series at Legends Way Ballfields on Saturday. The 37th annual event is hosted by PFX Athletics for the first time. Follow along on social media with #NAIASBWorldSeries on Twitter (@NAIA), Facebook (@PlayNAIA) and Instagram (@playnaia).

Up Next:
Davenport stays alive to play Monday at 10 a.m. EDT against the loser between No. 2 Columbia (Mo.) and No. 10 Ottawa (Kan.). Indiana Wesleyan is eliminated and ends its season with a 44-15 record.

Game-Changer:
Trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning, Indiana Wesleyan placed the tying run on base as Kira Madl ran the count full against Maves. However, Madl was retired on a deep fly ball to centerfield and Davenport survived another day. Maves faced pressure on the bases most of the day as she stranded 13 Indiana Wesleyan base runners.

Game Notes:
Indiana Wesleyan lost two, one-run games in the World Series – the Wildcats lost by one run in seven of their 15 losses this year… They fall to 1-4 all-time in the World Series… As a team, Davenport finished with 10 hits, one day after only having two in the first-round loss… The 10 hits is a team high in the 2017 World Series… The Panthers win their first game in the World Series improving to 1-4… Davenport's Aby Brambila is now 3-for-6 in the World Series in two games after a 2-for-3 effort today… Indiana Wesleyan sees Alex Springer and Kristen Exposito each post two hits.

Player of the Game:
Davenport pitcher Emily Maves – the senior from Tecumseh, Mich., -- tossed her 19th complete game of the year to move to 21-4. She took a shutout into the sixth inning before allowing two unearned runs. She gave up five hits and eight walks and struck out 12 batters on 163 pitches. The 12 whiffs was two shy of a season-high, set against Mary (N.D.) on March 2.

How to Watch:
Stretch Internet, the NAIA's official video-streaming company of NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2016 NAIA Softball World Series on the NAIA Network. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $29.95 or the day package for $9.95. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.