Columbus, GA - In the semifinals at the NAIA World Series the historic season for the UC softball team came to a close with a 3-0 loss to Oregon Tech. The Patriots finished with the best record in program history at 49-5-1 with a third place finish at the NAIA World Series.
UC combined for a total of four hits, one each from Maddie Sickau, Makenzie Keatts, Emily Bryant and Morgan Radford. The team also earned four walks to have eight base runners in the game.
In the circle, Radford got the start and Talli Burgess came in relief. Radford went 4.2 innings pitched, striking out one, giving up two earned runs off five hits. Burgess then dealt the final 1.1 innings, striking out one and giving up one hit.
Cumberlands looked like they were going to score in the top of the first inning. Sickau singled through the right side and then a walk to Keatts to get two on with one out. Then Bryant singled to the shortstop, however no runs were put up on the board.
In the bottom of the first frame, the Owls scored two runs on two hits, an error and a walk to take the 2-0 lead.
The Owls almost got a run in the second inning with a runner on. Their hitter drove the ball up the middle, Radford batted it down and Sickau got to the ball and gunned down the runner.
In the top of the third inning, UC once again got runners on, but could not push any across. Carly Oliver walked and then Keatts singled through the left side to get two runners on with two outs., but they were both left stranded.
The Pats then had a three up, three down inning in the bottom of third and then got their offense going again looking for a run. Bailey Turnbow led off with a walk and Mackenzie Pawlak moved her into scoring position with a bunt. However, two groundouts ended the frame and kept it at 2-0.
Radford struckout the first batter in the fourth frame and got two groundouts to not allow a run to cross. UC almost got going in the fourth inning. Oliver had a ball that was sailing to left center, but the left field barely made the grab for the out.
Then in the bottom of the fifth inning, two singles and a stolen base gave the Owls another run. This brought Burgess into the contest who limited the damage with one hit and one out to keep it at 3-0.
The UC defense once again got a three up, three down frame concluded with a strikeout.
The Pats got Radford on with a single in the seventh, but she was stranded to lose the game 3-0 and finish their season.
The Patriots concluded the year with seven program records as a team including wins (49), home runs (38), hits (512), batting average (.347), RBI (324), ERA (1.80), and tied the saves record (10). UC became the first team in Mid-South Conference history to go undefeated in MSC play at 21-0 and took home both the Regular Season and Tournament Championship.
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