Oneida, TN – The UC softball team utilized their most prolific scoring day since 2017 to earn a split on the final day of the Bear Creak Tournament Sunday afternoon. The Patriots fell to Lawrence Tech 5-1 in their first game, before defeating Rio Grande 15-11 in the final game. After the games, UC moves to 5-5 on the season.
Leading the way offensively for the Patriots was
Meryn Livingston, who went 4-8 with a pair of RBI.
Corinne Haverland went 4-4 with two runs scored, while
Maddie Sickau notched three hits and drove in three runs against the Red Storm.
Emily Jasper drove in a team-high four runs and scored three times as
Hailey Wood added three RBI's on the day.
Jessica Webb went 1-1 on the day pitching 6.2 innings scattering three runs.
Game 1: Cumberlands Falls to Lawrence Tech, 5-1
The Patriots started the game strong as Webb recorded a 1-2-3 inning to open the game. However, the Blue Devils struck in the second as Kennedy Emmonds hit a lead-off homer to give Lawrence Tech a 1-0 lead.
Lawrence Tech added a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 3-0. Cumberlands looked to answer having a runner on base in each of the first four innings, however, none of them were able to get into scoring position keeping the score 3-0.
The Blue Devils added a pair of runs in the sixth to extend their lead to 5-0. UC looked for a late rally as Livingston led off the seventh with a single to left. Two batters later,
Madison Huber singled to left, scoring pinch-runner
Taylor Green, however, that was the closest Cumberlands came as Lawrence Tech closed the door for the 5-1 final.
Game 2: Cumberlands Defeats Rio Grande, 15-11
This game was an offensive slugfest right from the start as Rio Grande plated six runs in the top of the first inning. The Patriots responded in the bottom half of the inning with five of their own.
Emily Jasper got things started with a one-out walk before scoring on a
Maddie Sickau single to left. The next batter,
Meryn Livingston belted her third career homerun to cut the score to 6-3. After
Madison Huber and
Katie Cheeseman reached base,
Tori Malone connected on a two-run double to left center to cut the deficit to 6-5.
The Patriots evened the score in the second as Sickau reached base and came around to score on a fielder's obstruction call making it 6-6. After a scoreless third inning, Rio Grande added a pair of runs in the four to take an 8-6 lead.
The score remained that way until the bottom of the fifth when Cumberlands plated five runs. The Patriots loaded the bases for
Hailey Wood, who belted a bases-clearing triple down the left field line to give UC a 9-8 advantage. Wood scored on the next play as Jasper bunted for an RBI single. Sickau drove home Jasper with a single to right center to extend the lead to 11-8.
Rio Grande evened the score in the top of sixth as they plated three runs. The Patriots answered in the bottom of the inning as Malone, Haverland, and Wood all reached base. Jasper followed with a bases clearing triple to left center field to give Cumberlands a 14-11 lead. Sickau drove home Jasper with a single to left to make the score 15-11.
Webb closed the door for the Patriots recording a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win.
The Patriots will return to the field Saturday, February 29, when they host West Virginia Tech for a double-header. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m.
