Bowling Green, KY - The battle for the Mid-South Conference Tournament Championship between top-seeded Cumberlands and #2 Campbellsville saw three weather delays, extra innings and took place over the course of two days, but was unable to finish due to the weather. The game was tied 1-1 in the start of the eighth inning and per conference policy, UC was deemed the champions since they were the last remaining unbeaten team in the tournament. 

Cumberlands won both the Regular Season and Tournament Title for the first time in program history and won their first Tournament MSC Championship since 2017. Even though the Pats are MSC Tournament Champions the game is officially ruled a 1-1 tie between the two teams.

In the contest, the Patriots outhit the Tigers 5-4, led by Emily Bryant and Carly Oliver with two and Meryn Livingston with the other hit in the contest. In the circle, Burgess got the start, going 5.1 innings, where she gave up one run off three hits while striking out two. Kaiti White came in relief and held CU to just a single hit in 1.2 innings of work.

Burgess started the game strong, striking out the very first batter and then retiring the side in order. Then the Patriots wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Oliver led the game off with a single up the middle. She was then put into scoring position off a sac bunt from Maddie Sickau. Oliver moved another 60 feet off an error by the centerfielder. With two outs, Bryant lifted the ball to right field allowing Oliver to score and putting UC up 1-0.

In the third and fourth innings, Burgess got the Tigers out in order with another strike out. Then in the fifth Campbellsville had two hits, but they could not push any across to keep it a 1-0 ballgame. The Tigers did find their equalizing run in the sixth inning. They had a walk and a double to bring in a run and then White entered the contest. Before White could warm up the teams entered their first rain delay that lasted over three hours.

When the game resumed CU had one out and a runner on second. Against the first batter White faced she issued a grounder in the 5-6 hole, but Bryant made a diving play and threw from her knees to get the lead runner out at second. The next batter hit a hard ball to Sickau at short who fielded it and stepped on second for the final out of the inning to keep it 1-1.

The Pats continued their great defense in the seventh, led by Sickau who robbed two base hits from the Tigers and then a groundout to Oliver at second, meant UC had the chance to walk it off in the seventh. UC got one hit from Livingston, off a single down the right field line, but could not push another run across.

As the teams were headed on the field for extra innings in the eighth, another weather delay was issued and pushed the game back to Monday. The teams got to the field, but the current and incoming weather deemed the field unplayable and Cumberlands was crowned the champion.

During the MSC Tournament UC outscored their opponents 13-5 with a team batting average of .324 while their opponents batted .178. Bryant and Oliver led the team with hits, accruing four each. The Patriots pitching staff recorded an ERA of 1.67 and limited opponents to just 13 hits.

The Patriots earned an automatic bid to the NAIA Tournament by advancing to the MSC Championship game. UC will host an Opening Round in Williamsburg, KY from May 15-17. They will find out the other three teams at their site on Tuesday, May 18 at 5PM ET on the NAIA's YouTube page here.

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