Pikeville, KY – Looking in her first pitch of the at bat, Madison Huber sails the delivery over the left field wall to secure the Patriots' series win over Pikeville. Huber and company go 3-1 in the four-game set with the Bears after two wins on home field last week.
 
Following softball's final road trip of the regular season, the Patriots advance to 23-17 on the year after splitting the day with the Bears. Against Mid-South Conference competition, the ladies stand 11-9 with eight games remaining on the schedule.
 
GAME ONE: WIN, 7-1
The Patriots batted out of their weekend blues as seven in the starting line-up gather a hit in the game. Huber led the nine ladies at the plate, posting a perfect three-for-three when digging into the batter's box.
 
Emily Jasper notched the first hit of the early game, stepping up to single to the infield and showcasing her speed to beat the throw. Soon after, she charged her way across the dirt and slid into second with ease for her first of two stolen bases on the day.
 
The ladies were slow to tab multiple hits in an inning out of the gates as the Bears out-hit UC through the first four frames, 4-3 to take a one-run lead. The Patriots shrugged the bat into production to barrel seven runs on seven hits through the remainder of the game.
 
Jenna Howell tallied another double on her opening season with the Patriots, this time streaking to deep left to open the fifth inning. The rookie advanced to third base on Sarah Biggerstaff's infield single, and soon makes her way to home plate for the first Patriots run of the ball game, batted in by Jasper.
 
With the top of the fifth still alive and two runners on, two walks kept the bases loaded and scored a run. After a double recorded an inning before, Huber muscled another extra-base hit. This time, she sent the softball well over the left field wall for the Patriots' first grand slam of the season, the batter's second home-run of the year.
 
Three straight singles by the ladies in the seventh loaded the bases once again in the Patriots' favor. Tori Malone offered her fly ball to deep left as a sacrificed out, bringing home Acacia Gray for run insurance.
 
Sidney Pennycuff opened the doubleheader for the Patriots pitching staff, walking off with her fifth win under her belt. Pennycuff allowed the first and only Pikeville run to score in the third while scattering five hits in the outing.
 
Her second frame was highlighted with back-to-back strikeouts delivered from the circle. In her fifth start of the season, Pennycuff dropped five batters to strikes, boosting her to 23 of her 51 season K's in the last week.
 
GAME TWO: LOSS, 6-1
The Patriots lost their hitting momentum into the final game of the series, as well as suffered from the three errors committed. The Bears double the Patriots hitting count on their way two a 6-1 win.
 
The Patriots have found success when scoring early over the course of the season, with 17 wins over the season coming from games when the ladies score at least one run in either the first or second frame. Hannah Stephenson opened the latter game with a single to shallow right. Stephenson made the turns to set up in scoring position, bursting home as the ball got in the dirt and behind the catcher.
 
Pikeville responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning to refresh the scoring slate. The Patriots, however, could not keep their bats swinging in their favor late in the day, as two three-batter innings devastated the ladies at the plate.
 
Paige Parker got the call to start game two of the doubleheader in the circle. The freshman tallied her seventh loss of the season after relinquishing four runs on six hits in her 2.1 innings of work from the rubber.
 
Krystin Wilson made another appearance out of the bullpen, entering the 4-1 game with one out tallied and one runner on. The rookie opened up with heat, sending her first to batters back into the dugout swinging on strikes.
 
At the plate, Hayley Kilburn came off the bench to pinch-hit a single to left in the fifth. Stephenson placed her hit to left as well followed by Jasper singling to the infield. However, three runners were left on base as the inning ended, along with the Patriots scoring chances.
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots return home for the final eight games of the regular season, beginning Thursday April 18 against the Campbellsville Tigers. After moved up a day due to potential weather in the forecast, the double header will still pitch off at 4:00 PM at the UC Softball Complex.
 
Following a four-game set with Campbellsville, MSC action will continue next weekend as Cumberlands hosts Shawnee State for the final series of the 2019 campaign.
 
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