Williamsburg, KY – Needing a win against Martin Methodist to stay alive in the Mid-South Conference Tournament, the Patriots raked 12 hits to score 10 runs for the 10-2 run-rule victory in six innings. The RedHawks took game one of the series 8-6, despite Cumberlands mounting a comeback, scoring in the final four innings.

The extra base hits were the difference for the Patriots, hitting seven between the two games while Martin Methodist hit zero. Hailey Wood had three extra base hits including two home runs to plate seven RBIs. Maddie Sickau also notched a home run on the day. Along with the homer, Sickau had a walk with the bases loaded to tie the single season RBI record, recording 51 and breaking the career RBI record tallying her 104^th in just 127 games. Meryn Livingston and Sarah West recorded five RBIs combined off two doubles, helping UC push across 16 RBIs compared to Martin Methodist's eight.

Talli Burgess once again threw lights out for the Patriots. She marked her third consecutive appearance where she did not give up an earned run to improve her season ERA to a team best 1.43 and overall record to 14-2, tying her for fifth most wins in a single season in UC's history. Her four strikeouts in the game pushed her season total to 96. Over the six innings she gave up just four hits and walking one batter.

GAME TWO: CUMBERLANDS RUN-RULES MARTIN METHODIST, 10-2
Neither team plated a run until the fourth inning. Burgess kept the RedHawks off the scoreboard with four K's through those four innings. The third inning had Martin Methodist being retired in order, including a pop out from the first batter that Burgess caught.

The Pats' bats got going in the fourth inning kickstarted by a double from Emily Bryant down the left field line. Livingston traded places with her sending a ball to the fence in left field for the RBI double. Madison Huber earned one of her three walks on the day. Emily Jasper barreled up a ball to left-center field scoring Livingston and pushing Huber to third. In a true hitter's count, Wood sailed a three-run home run over the left field fence to make UC's lead 5-0.

A hit, an error, and a sacrifice fly gave Martin Methodist two runs to narrow the score at 5-2.

The Patriots then had another four hit inning along with a trio of walks to finish off the RedHawks. Tori Malone hit a ball between the first and second baseman for a single. Jasper singled and Wood walked to load the bases for Cumberlands. The walk gives Wood 32 on the season, breaking the single season walk record for UC. After Martin Methodist got an out at home, Sickau was patient at the plate, earning herself a walk. The free base pushed across the sixth run for UC and gave Sickau the single and career RBI record. Bryant followed it up with a walk of her own making the score 7-2. Livingston hit a hard ball that picked up another RBI for her day total. Needing just a pair of runs for the mercy rule, West blasted a ball to deep right center. Both Sickau and Bryant came around to score, securing the 10-2 win and forcing the if necessary game.

GAME ONE: MARTIN METHODIST DEFEATS CUMBERLANDS, 8-6
The RedHawks got out to a fast start, earning three runs in the first two innings. Martin Methodist played small ball, recording two sacrifice bunts in the first inning that led to a 1-0 lead in the first. The Patriots did have a defensive bright spot with Livingston throwing out her seventh batter of the season to end the threat.

Despite Kaiti White striking out the second batter of the inning, the RedHawks added two more runs to their lead from three hits and a walk. Kaci Goedde entered the circle limiting the damage and stranding three runners on base.

Cumberlands got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning. With Bryant on second base, Livingston drilled a ball to right-center field to score Bryant and make it a 3-1 ballgame.

However, the RedHawks answered in the top of the fifth inning with four runs off five hits, pushing the score to 7-1.

UC stayed in the game, putting up their own runs in the later half of the inning. Huber was issued a walk that Wood made count, hitting her first home run of the day. She had another hitter's count, this time 3-1, smashing the no-doubt homer over the left field fence cutting the lead to 7-3.

Lindsey Shope then came on to pitch for the Patriots where she recorded two strikeouts and surrendered a single hit.

With her second pitch of the at-bat, Sickau hit her team best 12^th home run of the season just fair down the left field line for a 7-4 score line.

Martin Methodist plated an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning from a hit, error and sacrifice fly to take the 8-4 lead.

The Patriots did not roll over in their final at-bat. Yet again Huber earned a walk, helping her to have a 1.000 OBP on the day. Jasper got on base from an error to put runners on first and second. Wood shot a ball to deep left-center field scoring both Huber and Jasper. However, that was all the runs UC scored in the final frame allowing Martin Methodist to win 8-6.

Since the teams split the series, it requires a game three be played at the UC Softball Complex. The game will decide who advances to the Final Site for the MSC Tournament. First pitch for game three is set for 1 PM ET on Saturday, May 1. For the contest live stats can be found here and live video on the UCSN will be here.

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