Crestview Hills, KY – For the third straight Mid-South Conference series, the Patriots won at least three games to clinch the series. After dropping game three, 3-2, Cumberlands rallied back for their second run-rule of the weekend, for the 12-1, six inning victory.

On the day, the Patriots outhit the Saints, 18-13, with five extra base hits, compared to just one from TMU. Cumberlands was also able to capitalize on free bases, earning 14 walks and only dishing out one on defense.

Maddie Sickau had her third home run of the season and also had her most RBI in a single game this season with four. UC had four more extra base hits in the pair of games, a triple for Emily Jasper and a double each for Emily Bryant, Paxton Hoop and Katie Cheeseman. For Cheeseman she recorded three RBI in game four, marking the most in a single game for the senior in 2022.

In game four, Morgan Radford tallied the win, marking her as the first UC pitcher this season to earn double digit victories. Radford recorded five K's in five innings of work while giving up five hits and one run. Kaci Goedde worked in relief for Radford pitching one inning and only throwing six pitches. Kaiti White started the first game on the day, going three innings and giving up just one earned run. Talli Burgess closed out the final three innings of the game striking out three and limiting the Saints to just a pair of hits.

PATRIOTS CLINCH SERIES, 12-1 (6 INNINGS)
One of UC's most productive innings for the day came in the first frame of game four, putting up four runs off three hits and two walks. Wood earned herself a walk and stole second. Jasper was the next hitter and she laced the ball down the left field line for the RBI standup triple. Sickau followed that up with a well struck ball to center field that was deep enough for Jasper to tag and score. Bryant then got the offense going again with a walk. Cheeseman pushed Bryant across for the third run of the game from a RBI double to right center and Cheeseman moved to third on a fly ball later in the inning. Hoop rocketed the ball to center field, marking her second RBI in the series, for the 4-0 UC advantage.

Cumberlands recorded a three up, three down inning in the bottom of the first and then got back on offense to extend their lead. It was once again started from a leadoff walk, this time to Mackenzie Pawlak who also stole second. She was brought around to score off Wood placing the ball in right for the RBI single to make it 5-0 in favor of the Patriots.

The Saints got their lone run of the game in the bottom of the second off two hits. Despite giving up the run, Radford still dished out two K's in the frame. She also added another in the third inning, before UC added three more runs.

Pawlak ignited the bats with a single and her second stolen base, marking her first multi stolen base contest of her UC career. Wood got on from a walk, bringing up the bat of Sickau. The Anderson County, TN native blasted the ball over the left field wall for her first three-run bomb of the season. The homer made the score 8-1.

Radford struck out two more batters in her final inning of work, before the UC offense pushed the game to a run-rule with four runs off five hits. Sickau started the sixth with a single. Bryant roped the ball down the left field rolling all the way to the corner wall putting her and Sickau at second and third respectively. Cheeseman made it three hits in a row, scoring both Sickau and Bryant for the two RBI single. Two hitters later, Hoop had the second double of the inning, crushing the ball to left field to put her and Cheeseman in scoring position. Mackenzie Powenski came in to pinch hit and she recorded her first RBI as a Patriot off a sac fly, scoring Cheeseman and sending Hoop to third. Pawlak kept the bats going with an infield single bringing home Hoop for the 12-1 advantage.

Goedde came in to close the game out, putting down the Saints in order, sealing the UC single game and series win.

THOMAS MORE TAKES GAME THREE, 3-2
UC got more runners on in the game than the Saints, off six hits, six walks and a hit by pitch. However, they left 12 runners on base, only scoring two runs.

Cumberlands got the first run of the game in the second, started by Hoop getting to third off a hit by pitch, TMU error, and a passed ball. Wood scored her from a sacrifice fly to deep center making the score 1-0.

The Saints answered back in the third inning off a pair of hits, an error, and a fielder's choice, making it 2-1. Cumberlands looked to tie the game up in the top of the fourth after Wood had a single and stole second and third with just one out. However a play at the plate ruled her out, keeping the score 2-1 in favor of TMU.

The lead for the Saints was extended in the fourth off a home run to centerfield, marking the final run of the contest for them.

With the score 3-1 to start the seventh, UC rattled off a pair of hits to start it from Sickau and Bryant. They each moved up a base off a groundout and then Sickau scored from Meryn Livingston's sac fly to center field, bringing the game within one run. However, UC left the tying run on second, suffering the 3-2 loss.

After the four-game series UC improves to 26-12 on the season with a 13-5 MSC record. Hoop had her best weekend in a Patriots uniform batting .700 with seven hits, two of which were doubles. Bryant had a pair of homers in the series and got four other hits to bat .500. Wood led the team in RBI with five and also tallied 11 stolen bases. Jasper, Pawlak and Bryant and Wood combined for 20 stolen bases on the weekend giving the Patriots 80 on the season.

UC used four pitchers on the weekend combining for a 1.17 ERA. They all recorded 17 strikeouts and only gave up three extra base hits. Both Burgess and Goedde had a 0.00 ERA followed by Radford at 0.70 and White with a 2.63.

Cumberlands will return home and stay in MSC play when they host Campbellsville next weekend. The series will start on Friday, April 8 with a double header beginning at 4PM ET. Live video for the games found here and live stats here.

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