Bowling Green, KY – The University of the Cumberlands softball team rallied twice to knock off sixth-seed Pikeville 6-2 and advance to the next round of the Mid-South Conference Tournament Friday night at Michael O. Buchanon Park. With the win, UC improves to 17-33, while Pikeville finishes their season with a 26-22 record.  

The Patriots looked to jump out to an early lead getting a runner on third in each of the first three inning. However UC was not able to bring the run home, keeping the game scoreless.   

Sidney Pennycuff threw a perfect first inning to retire the Bears in order.  In the bottom of the second Chandler Kelly reach on an error to start the inning.  Pikeville loaded the bases with no-outs, however Pennycuff was able to pitch out of the jam allowing one-run which gave the Bears a 1-0 lead.

The score remained that way until the fifth, when Elisa Mauldin led off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.  MiKayla Vires followed with a RBI triple to right-center bring home Mauldin to tie the game at 1-1.  Then Hayley Kilburn sent a sacrifice fly to down the leftfield line, scoring Vires and giving the Patriots a 2-1 lead.

Pikeville evened the score in the bottom half of the inning as they loaded the bases with one-out.  Pennycuff got Kitty Raymond to pop out, before Chandler Kelly used an infield hit to score Hannah Absher and tie the game at 2-2.  Pernnycuff would get Kelsey White to pop out to second to end the inning.

Cumberlands' bats remained hot in the sixth as Madison Huber beat out an infield single.  UC took advantage of a Bears miscue as Kailin Yantz reached base giving the Patriots runners on first and second.  Mauldin would follow with a single through the hole at short, scoring Huber.  Pikeville made two wild throws on the play allowing Yantz and Mauldin to come around to score and give the Patriots a 5-2 advantage.

Lexi Jones drilled a one-out single to left in the seventh.  Morgan Ellis came in to pinch-run, before Yantz singled to right, scoring Ellis and extending UC's lead to 6-2.

Pikeville put their first two batters of the seventh on base, however Pennycuff got the Bears to hit three straight pop ups to end the game for the 6-2 final.

Pennycuff tossed a complete game, scattering six hits, two runs, only one of which was earned, and struck out five.  Maulding went 2-2, with a pair of walks, two runs scored, and a RBI.  Jones, Stephenson, and Vires each recorded a pair of hits, while Kilburn and Vires tallied a RBI apiece.

The Patriots will return to the field tomorrow to take on fifth-seed Cumberland, who lost to Campbellsville 6-1, in an elimination game. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with live stats available here and live video available here.

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