Williamsburg, KY –
Acacia Gray collected the grounder, taps her foot on third for the out and launches her throw across the diamond in time for a double play and the Patriots' first Mid-South Conference victory of the season. Three consecutive strikeouts in relief by Pennycuff paved way to a perfect 2-0 record on the day against Cumberland (TN).
Against the Phoenix, UC shut out their opponents in game one, 3-0, before taking a 5-1 decision in game two. The pair of wins gives the Patriots an even 12-12 record on the year, advancing into day two of the series against Cumberland with a 2-4 record in MSC play.
GAME ONE: WIN, 3-0
Krystin Wilson picked up her first career start for the Patriots in addition to her first complete game thrown. The rookie tabbed one strikeout in seven innings of work from the circle, allowing five hits total on 89 pitches.
Emily Jasper and
Madison Huber were the big hitters of game one, as both slashed two hits toward the Patriots' seven in the early game. Along with her pair of singles, Jasper recorded an RBI and a stolen base. Huber went a perfect 2-2 in her at bats, highlighted by an RBI double to left center.
In the first inning of competition, the Patriots were held scoreless, but not before Jasper hit her way onto base. The freshman followed up with a stolen base to move into scoring position before being stranded as the inning ended. Back-to-back doubles by
Meryn Livingston then Huber put UC on the board, starting the Patriots scoring momentum.
Wilson relied went pitch for pitch against her batters and was backed up by the fielders surrounding her. In her first collegiate start, the freshman kept a zero in the Phoenix's hit column until the fifth inning. While relinquishing five hits total on the day, Wilson walked off with the shutout win.
Olivia DeZarn got the third and final run of the game, pinch running for Livingston after the freshman was given a free pass to first.
Tori Malone was credited with the run batted in as DeZarn rounded third and made her way across the plate.
The Patriots walked off the field after a Gray-Malone double play to end the game, 3-0 in UC's favor.
GAME TWO: WIN, 5-1
Hannah Stephenson recorded a perfect day at bat, going 2-2 with singles on her stat sheet. The junior batted one run in as well as scored once herself. Sickau collected only one hit on the day, but the power hit tabbed two runs scored before scoring twice herself.
Jessica Webb started game two for the Patriots in the circle, calculating 5.2 innings of work. Over the stretch, the righty dished five strikeouts against the Phoenix on her way to adding another game to her resume without earning a run.
The Phoenix looked to get on the board early, scoring their first unearned run out of the gates after a failed pick-off attempt. The Patriots would hold their opponents scoreless from there as Webb threw three consecutive no-hit innings starting in the second.
The Patriots responded to the run with one of their own in the bottom half of the first inning. After
Maddie Sickau walks to first, the freshman rounds three bases for the score off of Gray's double to center field.
The Patriots score again in the third with
Sarah Biggerstaff as the lead-off hitter. The rookie sent her pitch into left field for a single before stealing second and advancing to third on the errant throw to second in attempt to catch her stealing. Stephenson got the call to send her teammate home with a single to left field.
Three more runs were added in the fifth to give the Patriots a 5-1 advantage, off the bats of Sickau and Gray. Sickau slashed a two RBI triple, allowing Stephenson and Jasper to head into the dugout with a run scored each. Gray sacrifices her hit to allow her teammate on third to tab the fifth run for the Patriots.
After 5.2 innings of work, Webb is relieved by
Sidney Pennycuff, who delivers three straight strikeouts between her 1.1 innings, walks off the field in the seventh with a save under her belt.
UP NEXT
The Patriots take on the Phoenix in another doubleheader tomorrow. The MSC series continues with games scheduled for 2:00 and 4:00 PM.
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