Williamsburg, KY – Efficient hitting by
Maddie Sickau put two more wins in the Patriots' pocket on Friday night, as the Bears of Shawnee State go down in 6-3 and 10-0 ball games. The pitching line-up endured the 12-inning day with both
Sidney Pennycuff and
Jessica Webb collecting wins on their starts.
Sickau graced four hits from five at bats combined on the day, including a three-for-three stint in game two. The rookie shortstop hit for one sacrifice fly on her way to batting in four runs total. Sickau also scored five times herself on the base-path.
The pair of wins bump the Patriots to a guaranteed winning regular season, now 27-19 on the season with their final doubleheader scheduled for midday Saturday. In Mid-South action, the softball team also holds strong to their 15-11 conference record.
GAME ONE: WIN, 6-3
The Patriots were on edge as the Bears posted two runs in the early inning but pounced back to mark three of their own for an early lead.
Hannah Stephenson earned herself a lead-off walk, later going two hits of three at bats into the first game, also collecting a stolen base.
As she tends to do,
Emily Jasper raced to first base after her first hit of the day, also advancing her teammate. Sickau boosted a double to the fence to score one run and put two more in scoring position. Back-to-back groundouts were recorded against the Patriots, however both allowed Jasper and Sickau to beat the throw and slide under the tag for the go-ahead runs.
The Bears challenged at the plate, batting in the tying run in the second inning.
Madison Huber would not have it though, slugging a two-run bomb over the left field wall, landing approximately 210 feet from impact with the bat. Sickau trotted the bases with Huber, previously reaching base on a hit-by-pitch.
Ahead 5-3, the Patriots tacked on one more in the fourth after a pair of singles and walk juiced the bases with one out. Sickau slapped for a sacrifice fly down the left field line to score one for cushion.
The offensive production provided starting pitcher Pennycuff with some confidence on her way to her seventh win of the season. The sophomore kept her strikeout average high with six dished on the day. Meanwhile, she earned three runs on eight hits in her 17th game appearance.
GAME TWO: WIN, 10-0
The Patriots line-up was in full swing in the latter game, especially in the second inning. Early scoring efforts promoted Webb to her 11th win of the season, who came out of the gates with three hitless innings. The sophomore allowed two hits in the fourth before being relieved, delivering two strikeouts as well.
Stephenson led off with a double to take the early blow at the Bears. After a groundout moved her further into scoring position, Sickau landed a single in the outfield to score the first dent in the game. Huber stepped in to shoot an RBI double to the wall for another run tallied for the Patriots.
Acacia Gray shrugged the bat off her shoulder to slug a single to get the second inning rolling. After
Sarah Biggerstaff was offered a free pass to first, three straight hits at the top of the line-up, the last a two-RBI double by Sickau, scored four more runs. After an error on the shortstop put runners on the corners, Huber made her mark with a single to bat in one teammate for the 7-0 lead.
The Patriots dug in deeper, putting a pair of runs on the board in the third along with another in the fourth to cushion their run-rule win.
UP NEXT
The Patriots play their regular-season finale on Saturday against the Bears in one last look at conference opponents ahead of the MSC tournament next week. Game times at the UC Softball Complex are scheduled for 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM for the second game of the set.
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