Williamsburg, KY – The bats came alive for #24 Cumberlands in their doubleheader against Bryan College for two run-rule wins. Both games ended in just six innings with the first at 9-1 and then game two ended at 10-2.

The Patriots recorded 23 hits with nine of them going for extra bases led by four triples. Both Emily Bryant and Bailey Turnbow led the team in RBI, racking up four. Makenzie Keatts along with Bryant recorded home runs on the day, sending them both to left field. As a team UC batted .428 with 16 RBI.

In the circle, the pitchers were once again lights out, giving up just two earned runs on the day. Kaiti White (2-0) got the game one win striking out three batters and giving up just three hits. Morgan Radford (2-0) picked up the win in game two, going 5.0 innings, striking out three and limiting Bryan to four hits. Talli Burgess came into relief in game two, giving up one hit and striking out two in one inning of work.
 
GAME ONE: PATS BATTLE BACK TO WIN, 9-1
For the first time this season, Cumberlands found themselves down in a game. Bryan scored in the second inning, off a pair of doubles to be up 1-0. But the lead only lasted an inning.

After a three up, three down top of the third inning of defense, UC rallied their bats. Meryn Livingston led off the inning with a single and Taylor Green came in to run for her. Green got to third off a groundout and passed ball. Then Hailey Wood sent a ball to centerfield as a sacrifice, deep enough to score Green to tie the game up, 1-1.

In the fourth, Maddie Sickau reached on an error and advanced to second. Turnbow stepped up and blasted a ball to left center field, scoring Sickau for UC's first lead of the contest. Mackenzie Pawlak followed it up with a double of her own down the left field line to score Turnbow and make the score 3-1.

Another 1, 2, 3 inning in the fifth led to offense for Cumberlands. Keatts started the hit parade, getting the first of seven hits in the frame. Keatts also swiped second to get into scoring position, then Bryant pushed her across for the team's first triple of the day. Sickau followed it up with a perfectly executed squeeze bunt, scoring Bryant and putting herself on first base. After a single from Turnbow there were two runners on for Pawlak and she made them count. A shot down the left field line loaded the bases. A fielder's choice and then a single from Morgan Radford scored the final of the four runs to make the score 7-1.

Yet again, a three up, three inning defensive frame including a strikeout from White led to runs for the Pats. As the leadoff, Keatts drove the ball to left field, over the wall, marking the first home run of her career. Bryant followed that up with a walk, stolen base and an error from the Lions to be standing on third with the score at 8-1. Turnbow hit a ball to shallow right center, that Bryant tagged up on and slid home to solidify the run-rule win at 9-1.

GAME TWO: CUMBERLANDS DEFEATS BRYAN, 10-2
For the second straight game, UC found themselves down after the first inning. Back-to-back bunts from Bryan, a UC error and a sacrifice hit was the perfect recipe to give the Lions the 1-0 lead.

But Cumberlands was not derailed and bounced back for their own runs in the bottom half. Carly Oliver ignited the team with a double to left field and then Keatts got on base after being hit by a pitch. An error on the next play scored Oliver and put two runners in scoring position. Turnbow once again came through, sending the ball to left field scoring two for the 3-1 UC advantage.

The Lions responded with a solo home run in the second and then shut down UC's offense to have the score at 3-2 heading into the third.

Radford recorded two swinging strikeouts as part of a quick top inning. Oliver and Keatts singled to start the frame and then Bryant cleared the bases with her first homer of the year, over the left field wall. The three-run shot made the score 6-2.

The Pats did not stop there, scoring in every inning for the rest of the contest. Wood tripled in the fifth and then scored on a wild pitch. Sickau followed that up in the sixth with a leadoff triple of her own. Turnbow got on base from an infield single and then stole second, putting pressure on BC. They tried throwing out Turnbow, but instead let both runners advance, scoring Sickau. A wild pitch put Turnbow on third and Pawlak sent her home with a sac fly to left for the 9-2 UC lead.

Burgess entered the circle in the sixth inning. She got into a jam, putting two runners on, but iced out the BC offense with two strikeouts to end the inning.

Needing just one run for the run-rule, Oliver walked and then got to third from a stolen base and wild pitch. Keatts launched a ball to left center and traded places with Oliver to make the score a final at 10-2.

Cumberlands has now outscored their opponents 32-4 through five games and are now 5-0. As a team, UC is batting .397 and their opponents are hitting .202.

The Patriots will have a short week, getting back on the diamond starting Friday to open up the Bear Creak Tournament. Cumberlands first plays Cleary at 2:30PM and then Taylor at 5:00PM.
 
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