Portsmouth, OH - Pitching from Cumberlands was the highlight of the day, led by Talli Burgess recording a complete game, seven innings, no-hitter. UC blanked Shawnee State in both games winning 8-0 (five innings) and 7-0.

Burgess threw just 84 pitches, 56 of them were strikes over the seven innings. The freshman struck out six hitters while giving up zero walks and hits. This marks the third no-hitter under Head Coach Bailey Dillender and Pitching Coach Alyssa Richards, but the first one to happen over seven innings.

"Honestly, I didn't even realize I was throwing one (a no hitter)," Burgess said. "I was just focused on throwing my pitches and going with the flow."

Kaiti White also had a productive day in the circle as the starter for game one. She recorded just 68 pitches that resulted in only four hits, no walks and one strikeout.

"We had a great game plan going into the games with both of my starters Kaiti and Talli." Coach Richards said. "Talli did a great job of keeping them off balance and executing her pitches. We had a great day in the circle!"

GAME TWO: BURGESS THROWS A NO HITTER, 7-0
The UC offense got going in the very first inning. Hailey Wood led off with a four pitch walk and then stole second base to put herself into scoring position. Maddie Sickau lifted a ball to center field, deep enough to score Wood, putting the Patriots up 1-0.

Another run was not scored by either team until the sixth frame. Burgess made sure to keep the Bears' hitters off the bases all game. She averaged just under a strikeout per inning and forced the Bears to fly out or pop out 12 times. The fifth inning was all Burgess, starting it off with a strikeout and then catching a pop up and a line drive right back to her to retire the side.

The big inning from Burgess ignited UC's bats. Meryn Livingston and Tori Malone hit back-to-back singles to the outfield. Then Sarah West, Burgess' battery mate in the game, earned a walk after fouling off three pitches. Emily Jasper tallied an infield single, scoring pinch runner, Taylor Green from third. For the second time in the game, Wood earned a walk to make the score 3-0. Katie Cheeseman sent a ball into the outfield for a two-RBI single. The offense was not done yet with the score at 5-0. Sickau laced a ball to center field to put her on second and two more UC runners scored for the 7-0 lead.

Through six innings Burgess was perfect, giving up no base runners to Shawnee State. The Crandall, GA native issued a flyout and a strikeout looking, to give her 20 straight outs. A ball hit into the infield was misplayed giving the Bears their first base runner and breaking up the perfect game. Burgess remained composed throwing three straight strikes, ending the game on her sixth K. Burgess now has 89 strikeouts on the season and picked up her 13^th win in the circle which are both team highs.

GAME ONE: PATRIOTS RUN-RULE THE BEARS, 8-0 (5 INN)
Cheeseman and Sickau reached base from singles and they were then cleared from the bases off a double to right from Livingston. Tori Malone singled to advance Livingston and then a batted ball scored her to make the score 3-0.

In the third inning, the Patriots doubled their lead off one swing of the bat. After combining for six foul balls in their at-bats both Livingston and Malone got on base from walks.  On a 2-2 count, freshman Sarah West sailed the ball over the left-centerfield wall for the three-run home run, her second of the season.

With the score now 6-0, the Patriots notched another run just an inning later. Singles sprayed across the outfield from Cheeseman, Bryant and Livingston made the score 7-0.

Needing just one more run to finish off the Bears in five innings, Cumberlands' offense once again got to work. Wood bunted for an infield single and then swiped second base. Cheeseman singled to centerfield allowing Wood to fly around the bases and across home plate giving UC the 8-0 lead.

White record two innings of three-up-three down defense including the fifth and final inning. She never gave up more than two hits in an inning and none of Shawnee's players got past second base.

The two wins secure at least a split of the series for the Patriots and give them a Mid-South Conference Record of 21-8, marking the first time in program history they have over 20 conference wins in a single year.

Cumberlands will wrap up the series and the regular season with a doubleheader against Shawnee State. The first game is slotted for a 10 AM start and only live stats will be available here.

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