Williamsburg, KY - Getting the four-game series sweep over the Pikeville Bears gave the Patriots their 37
th win of the season, marking the most wins in a single season in program history. The final doubleheader of series both ended in five inning run-rules of 13-2 and 8-0.
This marks just the fifth time in program history UC has had 30+ win seasons, two of which have came under Head Coach Bailey Dillender who is in her fourth season.
Once again, the pitching kept the Pikeville hitters at bay, limiting them to five hits across the two games.
Kaci Goedde and
Lindsey Shope combined in game one giving up just two runs, striking out three hitters and surrendering only three hits. Game two was a complete five inning shutout from
Abby Whelan who limited the Bears to a pair of hits and striking out one batter.
The offense was rolling today, recording 24 hits in just ten innings.
Maddie Sickau was formidable at the plate, notching six hits and four RBIs.
Katie Cheeseman also had four RBIs across the pair of games.
Meryn Livingston was the only hitter to rake in two extra base hits, tallying a double in each contest.
GAME THREE: CUMBERLANDS BEATS PIKEVILLE, 13-2
UC put up a run in every inning they batted, starting with one in the first. Sickau singled to left and then got brought around to score off a double from
Emily Bryant to right center-field, putting UC up 1-0.
In the second inning, UC recorded five hits to score four more runs.
Sarah West,
Madison Huber and
Emily Jasper loaded the bases for the Patriots. With two outs, Cheeseman sent a single to left center that scored both West and Huber. Sickau followed that up with an RBI single herself to score Jasper and Cheeseman making the score, 5-0.
Pikeville added a run of their own in the top of the third inning from two hits and an error. Shope came in as relief, issuing a strikeout and limiting the damage for a 5-1 score.
Not satisfied with the four-run lead, UC tacked on six more in the third inning. With West standing on third from a walk and an error, Jasper sent a ball to left field to push her across home plate. The Bears then committed two more errors off of hard-hit balls from the Patriots for two runs. Sickau landed another single to give Cumberlands a 9-0 advantage. Livingston made it an 11-0 game with her double to center field, that nearly left the ballpark.
After retiring the side in order off the arm of Shope, the Patriots added a pair of runs to their lead. Back-to-back infield singles from Jasper and
Hailey Wood and a pair of stolen bases put them both in scoring position. A batted ball and an error allowed them both to score for the 13-1 lead.
Pikeville did pick up another run in the top of the fifth inning from a sacrifice fly, but the 11-run difference put the mercy rule in effect after five innings.
GAME THREE: PATRIOTS CAPTURE HISTORIC WIN, 8-0
In the five innings Whelan pitched she recorded a trio of three up, three down innings and had just three base runners on the whole game.
Once again, the runs came early and often for Cumberlands. Three consecutive singles from Cheeseman, Sickau and Bryant in the first inning tallied a run on the scoreboard for UC. Malone notched a single of her own, scoring Bryant and another UC run was added from an error for a 3-0 lead.
Wood made an issued walk hurt the Pikeville defense, wiping second base and advancing to third on a wild throw. Sickau recorded her fourth RBI of the game sending the ball to center for the single. Livingston stayed hot at the plate, singling to center to score Cheeseman from second making the score 5-0.
UC then scored in their seventh consecutive inning of the day ignited by back-to-back singles off the bats of Huber and West. For her fourth triple of the season, Wood cleared the bases racking up two RBIs. Wood scored herself off a batted ball to give UC the 8-0 lead.
After a Pikeville runner got on base from an error, a 5-4-3 double play wiped the bases and then a flyout to Huber in centerfield sealed the game for UC in the fifth inning.
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The Patriots have now won five Mid-South Conference games via run-rule. The team ahs finished their regular season at home but have four more regular season games on the schedule to continue their historic season.
UC will wrap up the regular season on the road in Portsmouth, OH at Shawnee State. The four game series opens with a doubleheader on Friday, April 23 starting at 3:00 pm.
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, YouTube – Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.
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