Williamsburg, KY – The Patriots battled with (RV) Campbellsville Tigers in a pair of games, putting up two late game rallies, but fell short in both contests. Game one, was a 3-2 loss for UC and they fell 6-4 in game two. In both contests, Cumberlands matched the hits of Campbellsville at 10 and seven respectively, but timely hitting by the Lady Tigers was the difference.
The Patriots recorded more extra base hits than the Lady Tigers at 4-2.
Hailey Wood had a triple and led UC in RBI with a pair while
Mackenzie Pawlak,
Meryn Livingston and
Tori Malone all notched doubles.
Katie Cheeseman led UC in hits with three across the two games. Cumberlands did record four stolen bases in game one (
Emily Jasper x2, Pawlak, and Wood), tying the most Campbellsville has given up all season.
In the circle, both
Talli Burgess and
Kaci Goedde came in as relief pitchers and did not concede a run in their combined five innings of work. They also struck out six and gave up just four hits.
Kaiti White got the game one start and put up her third most strikeouts in a game all season with three and in
Morgan Radford's game two start she fanned the most batters on the staff with five.
GAME ONE: PATRIOTS LOSE TO LADY TIGERS, 3-2
The Lady Tigers took the early lead in their first plate appearance, scoring one run off three hits. But the Patriots quickly responded with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Jasper earned an infield single and stole second, then got to third after a CU error.
Maddie Sickau easily scored Jasper, roping the ball through the 5-6 hole, tying the game at 1-1.
White earned her third K of the game in the next half inning, getting the batter looking to lead off the frame. Then Campbellsville put up runs in back-to-back innings off four hits combined and two sacrifice hits to go up 3-1. Burgess came in for relief pitching in the fourth and kept the Lady Tigers off balance, only giving up three hits, striking out five in her four innings in the circle.
Jasper ignited another UC rally in the fifth inning, once again off an infield single that Campbellsville did not even try to throw her out on. Jasper stole second once again, giving her 39 swiped bases on the season. With Jasper on second,
Emily Bryant shot the ball to right field, scoring Jasper to make it a one run game at 3-2.
UC had the top of their lineup for the seventh inning and Wood led off with a single paced through the left side. She swiped second and was pushed to third off a groundout. The Patriots had the tying run on third with one out, but a popout and a groundout left Wood stranded at third for the 3-2, CU victory.
GAME TWO: CAMPBELLSVILLE DEFEATS CUMBERLANDS, 6-4
Once again the Lady Tigers were lethal from the start, this time putting up a trio of runs off three hits in the first inning.
Cumberlands got their own bats going in the third frame. Malone led off with a single to right field and the next batter of Pawlak scorched the ball down the left field line, putting two runners in scoring position. Wood was able to secure the RBI off a groundout, but it led to a double play for Campbellsville, giving UC just one run to make the score 3-1.
The next half inning, in the top of the fourth, Radford was lights out in the circle, she sent down the Lady Tigers in order off three straight strikeouts swinging. It marked the second inning in a row for three straight outs and the seventh CU batter retired in order.
The Lady Tigers extended their lead in the top of the fifth off a single and a UC error, for the 4-1, Campbellsville advantage.
In the seventh inning, CU added two more runs, which proved to be the insurance runs they needed for the win. They led the inning off with two singles which prompted Goedde to enter the game. She got the first two batters out, one from a sacrifice and one from a strikeout, her first in MSC action. However, a single up the middle brought around two more RBI for the 6-1 CU lead.
Despite being down five runs, the Patriots came out for their biggest inning on the day. Cheeseman led off the inning with a single to right field. She advanced to third off the Livingston double down the let field line, her eighth of the season. This put two runners in scoring position with no outs for UC. Malone got Cheeseman across on a groundout, making the game 6-2. Wood blasted the ball over the centerfielder's head, she not only cleared the bases, but earned her team best fourth triple of the season. Her two RBI put the game at 6-4, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, a lineout to third base ended the threat and the game at 6-4 for the CU win.
The two losses mark just the second time this season, UC has dropped a pair of games on one day and the first time in conference play for 2022. Cumberlands now has a 26-14 overall record and a 13-7 MSC record.
The Patriots, will next travel to Milligan, TN on April 13 to face Milligan University, to close out their season series agaionst the Buffaloes. It will be a single game with first pitch slated for a 3PM ET start.
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 and @UCPatsGameDay, Instagram - @UCPatriots, YouTube – Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.
