Gulf Shores, AL – The Cumberlands Patriots finished their time at the Gulf Shores Invite, going 4-1 over three days. In the last contest of the weekend, #24 UC defeated #25 Saint Xavier in just five innings with the 10-2 run-rule.

The game marked two major milestones in the program. The victory is the 150^th for both Head Coach Bailey Dillender and Assistant Coach Alyssa Richards. The duo now have a coaching record all at UC of 150-101. Maddie Sickau also suited up for her 200^th game, making her the first player in the program's history to do so. She has started every game in her career, all at shortstop.

Talli Burgess got her sixth win of the season, getting the complete game victory. She gave up just four hits and two runs while striking out one.

Sickau recorded three RBI in the game to lead the team. Both Carly Oliver, Emily Bryant, and Kaysee Dale tallied two hits each.

The Cougars got on the scoreboard first, recording two hits for one run. But then the Pats got going in their first offensive outing as well. Oliver earned her first hit of the day with a single to left field. Both Makenzie Keatts and Bryant got aboard from a fielder's choice and an error to put two runners on. Sickau hit a well struck ball down the left field line, scoring both Bryant and Keatts for the 2-1 lead.

After a three up, three down inning on defense the offense exploded for five runs in the second. Mackenzie Pawlak led the frame with a walk and then Meryn Livingston put down the SAC bunt to advance her. Pawlak raced around to go first to third and the Cougars tried to throw her out. However, the throw went wild and Pawlak was heads up to get up and score. Dale then recorded her first extra base hit of her career, with a double to left field. Hailey Wood followed it up with a single to the outfield allowing Dale to score. Oliver made it three straight hits to the outfield, single to left field for runners at the corners. Keatts was the next batter and she hit a sacrifice fly to right field for another run. Cumberlands got one more hit in the inning, this time from Bryant doubling to center field. UC did pick up their fifth run of the inning off an error, to make the game 7-1.

The Cougars added a run back in the fifth off two hits, for the 7-2 score. However, it was not enough as UC scored the three runs in the bottom half of the inning for the win. Bailey Turnbow was the first batter up in the inning and she got on from an error. Pawlak looked to advance her on the SAC bunt, but a wild throw advanced Turnbow to third and put Pawlak aboard. The Cougars got Turnbow in a rundown at third, but another bad throw allowed her to score and put Pawlak at third. Livingston was up next and she laced a ball to centerfield for the RBI double. Taylor Green came in to run for Livingston and advanced to third from the next at-bat. Wood got on base as the next batter with just one out. With Green on third, Wood took off for second to try and steal. The Cougars threw down, unable to get Wood and also allowing Green to score for the run-rule win at 10-2. The victory improved UC to 17-2 on the season.

This was the second run-rule of the tournament for UC, who outscored their opponents 41-12. Cumberlands defeated two ranked teams over the weekend, belting 45 hits, including seven doubles and four home runs. As a team the Pats batted .388 and the UC pitching staff held opponents to .288. The trio of Burgess, Morgan Radford and Kaiti White put up a combined ERA of 1.81 in 31 innings of work with 14 Ks.

The Patriots will finish out their road trip with two more games. The team will face #2 Mobile on Tuesday, March 7 for a doubleheader beginning a 12PM ET.

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