OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. --- Hopefully there is some room left in their carry-ons because the Marlins are headed back to Virginia Beach with some extra luggage.

Virginia Wesleyan University first-year pitchers Courtney Wright and Hanna Hull backed up Cassetty Howerin's fourth-inning RBI double with a combined three-hit shutout of St. John Fisher College to secure the Marlins first NCAA Division III Softball title with a 1-0 triumph at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium on Monday afternoon.

"We set a goal this year to simply out love and these kids took it and ran with it," said head coach Brandon Elliott. "They always stayed together. God has certainly blessed us and we couldn't be more happy to bring this thing back to Marlin Nation."

Now owners of a NCAA Division III record 54 team victories this season, the Marlins earned their championship the hard way. After falling to 2016 champion Texas-Tyler in the first game of the tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Thursday, VWU took the long road to the championship by winning four straight elimination games before claiming the first two contests of the best-of-three championship series. Hull and Wright each earned three wins with Hull adding a pair of saves in her six tournament appearances. The duo were joined by Howerin and left fielder Madison Glaubke on the all-tournament team. Hull picked up Most Outstanding Player honors.

RELATED: NCAA Bracket | Championship Box Score

Wright worked thru a small jam right from the start as St. John Fisher put two runners on in the first. She quickly found her groove with a 1-2-3 second frame that kicked off a stretch where she retired 12-of-14 batters faced thru the top of the fifth inning.

Howerin plated the game's only run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Glaubke earned a free pass from SJFC starter Lindsey Thayer to start the inning. Howerin followed with a shot to left that got past Cardinals' left fielder Emma Savas in her attempt to cut it off in the gap. Glaubke took advantage and motored all the way around from first with Howerin pulling in at second with a double.

After five shutout innings, Wright gave way to Hull for the final two frames. The Division III Rookie of the Year and All-American didn't miss a beat as she retired six of seven batters with a walk as her only blemish. She fanned four Cardinals overall, including each in the top of the seventh to wrap up her fifth save of the season.

Wright proved a real shot in the arm for the Marlins in Oklahoma City. After earning the win in the ODAC Tournament championship game over Emory & Henry College, injury kept Wright from taking to the circle in both the regional and super regional rounds of the national tournament. She made three starts in OKC, winning each outing to improve to 18-0 on the season. In 17.0 innings, Wright gave up five runs (three earned) on 10 hits with seven walks and three punchouts.

Hull was impressive in capping a record-setting campaign. After surrending four runs on eight hits in the opening 4-1 loss to UT-Tyler, Hull didn't allow a run over five further appearances and 25.0 innings. She gave up four runs on 15 hits in 31.0 overall frames. She struck out 42 batters and walked 10. She had a pair of three-hit shuouts in addition to the one-hit whitewashing of SJFC in Monday's first game. Hull's final record stands at 32-3 with an ODAC record 372 strikeouts and a 0.51 earned run average in 220.1 innings pitched.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Catherine Porter, Catcher, Trine
Sammie Galvez, Catcher, St. Catherine
Sam Berghoff, Shortstop, Illinois Wesleyan
Alena Marovitz, First Base, Amherst
Rebecca Duncan, Utility, Williams
Kaylee Prather, Outfield, Texas-Tyler
Cheyenne Thompson, Outfield, Texas-Tyler
Lindsey Thayer, Pitcher, St. John Fisher
Sarah Kubik, First Base, St. John Fisher
Madison Glaubke, Outfield, Virginia Wesleyan
Cassetty Howerin, First Base, Virginia Wesleyan
Courtney Wright, Pitcher, Virginia Wesleyan
Hanna Hull, Pitcher, Virginia Wesleyan (MOP)