Bowling Green, KY –After a day off due to rain, the University of the Cumberlands softball team return to the field looking to fend off elimination for the second time in the Mid-South Conference Tournament. The Patriots rallied with a pair of runs in the fifth but it wasn't enough as they fell to Cumberland 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Michael O. Buchanon Park. With the win, the Phoenix improve to 36-22, while UC finishes the season with a 17-34 record.
Cumberland struck first as Tyra Graham tripled to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on an Imani Torregano groundout to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead.
UC put runners on base in each of the first three innings, with their best opportunity coming in the third.
Morgan Santos drew a one-out walk.
Elisa Mauldin singled to center to give the Patriots two runners on however, Kayley Caplinger was able to pitch out of the jam keeping the score 1-0.
The score remained 1-0 until the fifth when Cumberlands plated a pair of runs.
Kailin Yantz drilled a one-out single to right, before
Morgan Ellis came in to pinch-run. Santos drew her second walk of the game, while Mauldin reached base on an error giving the Patriots bases loaded with one out.
Hannah Stephenson hit a RBI single to center, scoring Ellis and advancing the other runners a base. Mikayla Vires followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Santos to give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.
Cumberland responded in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with one out. Caplinger used a bases clearing triple to give the Phoenix a 4-2 lead.
UC looked to rally in the sixth as
Lexi Jones and
Madison Huber tallied back-to-back singles. A Santos walk loaded the bases with two outs, but the Patriots were unable to push a run across keeping the score 4-2.
The Phoenix scored a run in the sixth, before the Patriots went down in order in the seventh for the 5-2 final.
Yantz and Stephenson both went 2-4 in the game, while Santos drew three walks and scored a run.
Elisa Mauldin finished going 1-4.
Sidney Pennycuff threw 5.0 innings, scattering six hits, four runs, only three of which were earned, and striking out two.
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