Columbia, KY – Hannah Stephenson, Maddie Sickau and Tori Malone each stretch a home-run over the outfield fence but the long ball proved unable to boost the Patriots over the eighth-ranked Lindsey Wilson. UC retreats to an even 10-10 record on the year after dropping two games to the Blue Devils to open conference action.
 
GAME ONE: Loss, 12-3
Stephenson tabbed a pair of RBIs as her second deep ball of the season sailed over the right-center fence. Sickau tabbed the lead-off homer an inning later, but UC's late rally would not boost the ladies over the Blue Raiders in game one.
 
Paige Parker started in the circle for the Patriots, recording 2.1 innings of action before Sidney Pennycuff entered the game in relief. Both pitchers allowed six hits apiece on the day, while Pennycuff tallied four strikeouts against 17 batters faced.
 
Cumberlands fell in a one-two-three inning including a pair of strikeouts out of the gate, relinquishing Lindsey Wilson's first run of the day from a sacrifice fly. Another three-batter inning summarized the Patriots struggle at the plate, as the Blue Raiders respond with two more runs of their own to notch the three-run deficit after two innings.
 
Lindsey Wilson's Pitching staff continued to shutout the Patriots batting lineup through the third, however a hit-by-pitch and a walk put two runners on. Jenna Howell was able to steal second to get into scoring position but a pop-out to the shortstop in shallow left ended the inning. Parker offered a grand-slam ball to Lindsey Wilson to allow the Blue Raiders a 7-0 lead into the fourth.
 
Despite Meryn Livingston's single to deep right-center tabbed as the Patriots lone hit of the fourth, UC stood taller defensively in the fourth as Pennycuff continued to edge out batters in the circle. The sophomore went seven-straight hitless batters after taking the rubber in the third, including two strikeouts and allowing two walks to hold the opposition to their sole scoreless inning.
 
Emily Jasper began a two-out rally for the Patriots in the fifth, reaching first base after singling up the middle. Stephenson responded with a two-run deep ball over the right-center fence to bring around Jasper. Sickau blasted her pitch an inning later to complete the three runs scored on the Cumberlands side of the board. Cumberlands followed by stranding a pair of runners on the corners.
 
Lindsey Wilson recorded the win on run-rule, as a three-run slam sent the Patriots into the dugout with a 12-3 loss.
 
GAME TWO: LOSS, 6-2
Tori Malone sent the first pitch of her fifth-inning at bat over the center field fence in game two, recording her first deep-ball of the season. The two-run shot brings her season RBI count to 12.
 
Starting in the circle for game two, Jessica Webb worked 4.0 innings while facing 21 batters. Fellow rookie Krystin Wilson came into the game in relief, adding an additional strikeout against Lindsey Wilson to Webb's two already noted. Both righties allowed four hits total on the day.
 
As they did in game one, UC had the early-game struggles after another three-and-out first inning. On the flip-side, after facing 46 consecutive hitless batters over her past two appearances on the rubber for the Patriots, the righty allowed a hit and score on consecutive plate appearances, ending her impressive streak.
 
Both teams remained scoreless until the fifth. Cumberlands saw only one batter reach first base during the four-inning stretch as Madison Huber advanced 60 feet after an error by the shortstop in the second inning. In the same time frame, Webb impressed in the bottom half of the innings after allowing only one hit marked in the first and her defense backed her up to strand five baserunners.
 
Huber reached first in the fifth after singling through the left side, paving way to Malone's two-run homer on the subsequent pitch to give the Patriots their first lead of the day against the #8 Blue Raiders. Jenna Howell and Jasper responded with one-base looks of their own down the left foul line, but UC's scoring efforts ended short.
 
The Patriots relinquished five runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings, giving up their lead as well. The ladies' tabbed one hit in the sixth as Sickau grounds a ball through the left infield hole but were unable to put any more hits into play. The Patriots walked off the field after game two with a 6-2 loss.
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots and Blue Raiders meet again at Lindsey Wilson on tomorrow, March 23. Another doubleheader beginning as 2:00 PM EST on day two will complete the conference opening series.
 
For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics, please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on Twitter - @UC_Patriots, Instagram - @UCPatriots, SnapChat - @UC_Patriots, YouTube – Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.