Williamsburg, KY – 17 innings of softball were played at the UC Softball Complex today from two extra inning contests between the Cumberlands Patriots and the Georgetown Tigers. UC won both in walk-off fashion, taking game one 2-1 (8 innings) and game two, 3-2 (9 innings). The wins guarantee the Patriots will at least split the series with the Tigers, with two more games left.

Emily Bryant was involved in both walk off plays, coming across as the winning run, in game one, and then got the game winning RBI off a bases loaded walk in game two. She led UC in hits, going 4-7 from the plate and then also bringing in three RBI across the two games. Hailey Wood and Emily Jasper also recorded four hits each while the speed duo also swiped three bases each. Jasper's first stolen base on the day gave her the single season record at 43 and her second swiped bag gave UC the single season team record at 101.

Morgan Radford was the hero in game one, with the walk off hit, scoring Bryant from second. She also started game two in the circle, going seven innings, giving up two runs and five hits while striking out four. Kaiti White got the start for game one, with 5.2 innings pitched, one run against and striking out one. Talli Burgess was the reliever in both games and picked up two wins on the day, to give her a 8-3 record this year. She did not give up a run in her combined 4.1 innings, only giving up two hits, while striking out three.

GAME ONE: PATRIOTS TAKEDOWN TIGERS, 2-1 (8 INNINGS)
After a three up, three down inning to start the game defensively for Cumberlands, they wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Wood led off with a single through the 5-6 hole and then stole both second and third, to be just 60 feet away from the plate. Bryant got her first RBI of the day lacing a ball up the middle for the single.

With the score, 1-0, White led off the second with a strikeout looking and then sent the next two down in order. It was not until the top of the sixth inning when another run from either team crossed the plate. The Tigers got a two-out double and then a single to score the run and tie the game.

The Patriots got the leadoff batter aboard in Bryant with a single to start the sixth frame, but she was left stranded. That marked one of seven runners, UC left on base in the game.

The Tigers then threatened in the top of the seventh, off a walk and a bunt single with no one out. Meryn Livingston bobbled the pitch from Burgess which sent the runner on second in motion. Livingston was heads up behind the dish and gunned down the runner at third, with Maddie Sickau supplying the tag to keep the winning run off third base.

UC once again got a leadoff single, this time in the seventh, but once again she was left on first base, sending the game to extra innings.

In the eighth, the UC defense got three straight outs, one of which was a strikeout looking from Burgess. Bryant got aboard in UC's eighth inning at bat with one out. Radford stepped to the plate with two outs in the inning and sent a ball to right field, that the outfielder dove at and dropped. Bryant ran all the way to third base from the ball and Radford took a big lead around first. Radford baited the Tigers to throw out at her and get herself in a run down, prompting Bryant to take off for home. Georgetown tagged Radford, but it was moments after Bryant stepped on home plate to give UC the 3-2 victory.

GAME TWO: PATRIOTS BATTLE BACK AGAINST THE TIGERS, 3-2 (9 INNINGS)
Georgetown came out of the gates swinging, scoring two runs in the first. They had three hits in the inning and one run was scored from a walk with the bases loaded, for a 2-0 lead.

Cumberlands answered back with a run of their own. Jasper reached off an infield single and then swiped second. The stolen base marked the 43^rd of the season for the single season record. With Jasper on second, Bryant got her second RBI of the day with a single to score Jasper, to make it a 2-1 game.

The Patriots were down 2-1 heading into the fifth inning, but then sparked a rally to get the game back level for the first time since the start of the game. Wood got a leadoff single and was pushed to second off a sacrifice from Jasper. Sickau was next up and sent a ball to centerfield that was caught. Wood tagged from second and an errant throw allowed her take home to bring the score to 2-2.

The UC defense rattled off back-to-back three up three down frames keeping the Tigers from getting another run. The Patriots almost finished the game in the seventh, when Jasper got an infield single and stole both second and third, with two outs. However, she was left on third forcing the game once again to extra innings.

The Tigers got a leadoff double in the top of the eighth, which brought Burgess into the contest. She got a popout strikeout, and groundout off the next three batters to keep the runner on second.

The game ended in the ninth inning, started by a leadoff walk to Mackenzie Pawlak. On the next batter the ball was popped foul and Pawlak had heads up baserunning to tag and slide in safely to second. Jasper got on from a single and went to second for two runners in scoring position with one away. Sickau was intentionally walked loading the bases, bringing up Bryant. The Cecilia, KY native battled through the at-bat making the count 3-2, until she was finally walked to bring in Pawlak for the game winner.

The Patriots are now 3-2 in extra inning contests and game two marked just the second time this season UC has came back in a game after being down in the fourth inning or later. Cumberlands improves to 33-14 on the season and now has a 19-7 MSC record.

UC returns for their final regular season games on Saturday, April 23. The games will be the series finale against the Tigers and also where they will honor their senior class before the first game. The first pitch is slated for a 12PM ET start.
 
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