Pikeville, KY – The UC softball team a three run first inning deficit to take game one 7-6 in ten innings, before falling 13-1 in game two as the Patriots split with Pikeville Tuesday afternoon.  After the games the Patriots move to 12-22 overall and 5-9 in MSC play, while the Bears move to 18-14 overall and 2-8 in conference play.  

Pikeville hit back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the first before Kitty Raymond hit a two-run triple to give the Bears an early 2-0 lead.  Raymond later scored on a Chandler Kelly RBI ground out to extend Pikeville's lead to 3-0.

Cumberlands responded in the top of the second as Hannah Stephenson hit a double to lead off the inning.  Three batters later, Morgan Santos hit an RBI single to score Stephenson and cut the deficit to 3-1. 

Sydney Maynard settled down in the circle and retired nine straight Pikeville batters to hold the score. In the fourth, Elisa Mauldin doubled and advanced to third on a Stephenson fly out.  MiKayla Vires followed with an RBI single to center to cut the deficit to 3-2. 

The score remained that way until the sixth inning when Mauldin reached base with one out.  Stephenson and Vires followed with back-to-back singles to score Mauldin and even the score at 3-3.  Maynard strong pitching got the Bears to get past second base over the next three innings as the score remained tied 3-3 after nine innings.

In the tenth, Coari Robertson began the inning on second and advance to third on a Madison Huber sacrifice bunt.  Tara Comer followed with an RBI single giving the Patriots a 4-3 lead.  Elisa Mauldin and Kailin Yantz each recorded a hit to load the bases.  After an out, Vires hit a bases clearing double to right field to give UC a 7-3 lead. 

Pikeville looked to answer in the bottom half of the inning as Lee Collier drove an RBI double to center to cut the lead to 7-4.  Maynard then got Raymond to ground out for the first out of the inning, as the Bears made it a 7-5 game.  Maynard struck out Brynna Souels before getting Kelsey White to flyout for the 7-6 final. 

Vires led the way for the Patriots going 3-5 with five RBI, while Mauldin went 2-5 with two runs scored.  Yantz and Stephenson each added a pair of hits in the game.  Maynard earned the win after pitching a complete game scattering 12 hits and six runs.

UC struck first in the second game as Elisa Mauldin hit a two-out single.  After advancing to second, Mauldin scored as Stephenson reached base on an error give the Patriots the early 1-0 lead.

Pikeville responded with a run in the bottom of the inning tying the game at 1-1.  The Bears added a run in the second and two in third to take a 4-1 lead.  In the bottom of the fourth Pikeville bats came alive as they plated nine runs in the inning to take a 13-1 lead.

UC looked to rally as Mauldin drew a two-out walk in the fifth, however the Patriots couldn't cut into the deficit as the Bears held on the 13-1 final.
Mauldin went 2-2 in the game with a walk and run scored.

The Patriots will return to the field Friday, April 13, when they host Georgetown for a four game series.  First pitch on Friday is set for 4 p.m., while Saturday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.  Live stats are available here, while live video is available here.

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