Lebanon, TN – After sweeping on day one, the Patriots took one more game to win the series against the Phoenix, 3-1. After dropping game three of the series 3-4, UC claimed the final contest by score of 4-0. This marks the first Mid-South Conference series win on the season for Cumberlands who improve to 17-9 on the year overall and 6-4 in conference play.

Hailey Wood notched an RBI in both games, while hitting her third homerun of the season. Maddie Sickau, Meryn Livingston and Emily Bryant each drove in the other three runs on the day.

Talli Burgess went the distance in game three. She struckout a trio of hitters, gave up seven hits and three runs. Morgan Radford pitched six innings in the game four win, striking out one, giving up seven hits and no runs. Kaci Goedde finished out the game in the seventh, not giving up a run and throwing 18 pitches.

GAME FOUR: THE PATRIOTS SHUTOUT THE PHOENIX, 4-0
UC jumped out to an early lead, putting up one run in the first frame. Jasper started things with a single to first base and then stole second. Three batters later, Livingston put the ball through the 5-6 hole, scoring Jasper for the 1-0 Cumberlands advantage.

Cumberland U got a pair of runners on in the bottom half of the inning, but Radford recorded a strikeout and then a putout to keep the Phoenix off the board.

UC kept up their offensive attack in the second with two runs off two hits and a CU error. Tori Malone got a single up the middle, followed by a walk for Jenna Howell. Wood then cam up with her fourth double in the series, scoring Malone and putting Howell on third. With a flyout to left field, the Patriots put pressure on the Phoenix's defense. An errant throw trying to pick off Wood on second allowed Howell to cross home plate for the 3-0 UC lead.

Both teams had quiet offensive innings until the seventh. For Cumberlands' defense they recorded two innings of one, two, three frames. Bryant had a big defensive game recording six putouts, including two double plays. Both double plays had Bryant stepping on third and then firing to Malone at first, killing CU's momentum.

In the seventh, UC added an insurance run to push the game to 4-0 in their favor. Back-to-back singles from Jasper and Sickau put two runners on. Then Jasper stole third, her seventh swiped bag of the series. Bryant sailed the ball to left field, allowing Jasper to tag and easily score.

For CU's last at-bats they led the inning off with two singles, bringing Goedde into the game to close it out. Goedde got her first batter to hit into Bryant's second double play in the game. She walked the next batter to load the bases, but then forced a foul out to Malone at first for the 4-0 UC win.

The shutout marks the fifth of the season for the Patriots claiming the 10^th most in the NAIA. Radford recorded the victory, for her team best sixth of the season for a 6-4 record.

GAME THREE: LATE RALLY FOR PATRIOTS NOT ENOUGH, 3-2
The Phoenix scored in their initial at-bats for their first lead of the series. They led off with a double and got their run off an error and fielder's choice for the 1-0 lead in the first.

Cumberlands found their answer in the third. Wood led off the inning with her third homer of the season to left center, tying the game at 1-1. However, the Phoenix retook the lead the next half inning off another leadoff double. They then used a sac bunt and single down the left field line to score the runner making it 2-1.

With two outs in the fourth, Cumberland U extended their lead to 3-1 off a trio of singles. Burgess then held the Phoenix scoreless the rest of the game, with two strikeouts and two, three up, three down innings.

UC had a rally in the seventh inning off two outs. Wood ignited it with a single up the middle. Jasper followed that up with a single down the left field line, putting Wood at second and her at first. A RBI single from Sickau to left center field brought Wood around to score, but Jasper was thrown out at third ending the game at 3-2 in favor of the Phoenix.

In the series, four Patriots batted over .400, led by Sickau who batted .667, with two doubles and three RBI. Wood led the team in total bases with 14 from her four doubles and one homerun, giving her a .933 slugging percentage. Bryant recorded the most RBI with five while notching a double and a homerun.

The pitching staff combined for a 2.15 ERA, led by starters Radford and White who both recorded 1.75. They struckout 16 batters while only giving up eight runs and only three walks.

The Patriots will return home when they face #20 Milligan on Tuesday, March 15 for a single game. First pitch is set for 3PM with live video found here and live stats here.

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