Williamsburg, KY – Madison Huber hit a walk off single in game one while a pair of Patriots notched three RBI in game two as the UC softball team defeats Kentucky Christian 3-2 and 7-2 to open Mid-South Conference play Friday afternoon at the UC Softball Complex.  With the wins, the Patriots move to 7-13 overall and 2-0 in conference play, while the Knights move to 5-14 and 0-2 in the MSC.

Sidney Pennycuff started off strong limiting the Knights to one hit over the first four innings and didn't allow a runner into scoring position.  In the fifth KCU had runners on first and second with two outs and Pennycuff got Jordan Shockley to line out to get out of the jam.

Morgan Santos reached base to lead off the bottom of the fifth.  After a strikeout, MiKayla Vires double to left to give the Patriots runners on second and third with one out.  The next batter, Emily Fox drove a two-run double to right center to give UC a 2-0 lead.  The Patriots loaded the bases with two outs however KCU got Elisa Mauldin to ground out to second to get out of the inning.

The Knights responded in the top of the sixth as they started the inning with three straight hits and a run scored cutting the lead to 2-1.  Tara Comer, pitching in relief, got Brianna Crooks to ground into a 6-4-3 double play, but the tying run crossed the plate making it 2-2.  Comer then got Jade Spurlock to ground out to end the inning.

The Patriots had the go-ahead run at third with one out in the bottom of the sixth but couldn't push her across keeping the score even.

In the top of the seventh, Sarah Fisher recorded a one-out single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two down, Shockley hit a hard shot off of Santos and went into left field as Huber fired home and cutoff the go-ahead run at the plate sending the game to the bottom of the seventh tied at two.

In the bottom of the seventh, Olivia DeZarn drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a Kailin Yantz single.  Huber followed with a single to right, scoring the winning run, Dezarn, from second for the 3-2 walk off win. 

Fox went 1-3 in the game with a pair of RBI, while Yantz and Huber finished with two hits apiece.  Comer pitched 2.0 innings in relief, allowing two hits to earn her first win of the season.

The second game started similar to the first game as Sydney Maynard retired the first seven batters she faced.  Whitney McKay hit a one-out single, before Maynard got Taylor Austin to ground into a double play to keep the game scoreless.

Hannah Stephenson led off the bottom of the third with an infield single.  Two batters later Yantz drove an RBI double to left.  Huber reached on an error and Mauldin walked to load the bases with one-out.  Comer followed with a two-run single to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead.

Cumberlands added to their lead in the fourth as Stephenson hit a two-out single.  After Dezarn walked, Yantz hit a two-run double the right-centerfield gap to make it 5-0.  Yantz scored on a KCU throwing error extending the lead to 6-0.  Two batters later, Comer smashed an RBI single to left scoring Huber to give the Patriots a 7-0 advantage.

Kentucky Christian looked to rally in the top of the sixth as three straight hits loaded the bases with no outs.  Maynard got McKay to ground into a fielder's choice as UC got the lead runner at the plate to keep the game 7-0.  KCU scored twice before Pennycuff got back-to-back outs in relief to get out of the jam and keep UC's lead at 7-2. 

Pennycuff shutdown Kentucky Christian in both the sixth and seventh innings for the 7-2 final.

Yantz and Comer each tallied three RBI in the second game, while Stephenson went 2-3 with two runs scored.  Maynard pitched 4.1 innings scattering six hits and two runs, only one of which was earned, and three strikeouts.

The Patriots will return to the field Saturday, March 24, when they host Kentucky Christian a doubleheader with first pitch set for 12 p.m.  Live video will be available here, while live stats are available here.

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