Williamsburg, KY – The No. 4 Patriots hosted Lindsey Wilson College inside the UC Softball Complex for their final home Mid-South Conference Series of the season. UC was named the Mid-South Conference Regular Season Champions after both victories, marking the first time in program history that the Softball team is back-to-back MSC Regular Season Champions.

Cumberlands took two from the Blue Raiders today, one being a 9-1 run-rule victory and the other being a 7-1 victory. The Pats tallied 16 runs on 27 hits while the pitching staff recorded 10 strikeouts. The Patriots sit at an overall record of 37-4 and 18-0 in MSC play.

GAME ONE: PATRIOTS RUN RULE BLUE RAIDERS, 9-1
In the first inning, pitcher Talli Burgess opens the game strong with a quick one, two, three inning to send Cumberlands to the plate. On the offensive side, Carly Oliver leads off the inning with a double off the left center field wall followed by a double down the left field line from Amber Gainer to hit the board first, 1-0. Jade Gainer follows with a triple down the left field line to score her sister, Amber Gainer for a 2-0 Patriots lead and to place her name in the Patriots record book for single season triples (4). Makenzie Keatts carries the momentum with a single to left field to elevate the Patriots lead to 3-0 at the end of the first inning.

Back on defense, Burgess continues to handle business recording her first two strikeouts of the game to head into the bottom of the second inning. Back at the plate, Kaysee Dale rips a single up the middle to start the inning. Cumberlands looked to add another run but was unable to move the runner into scoring position. In the top of the third, Burgess recorded her third strikeout of the game with a three-up, three-down inning to send into the bottom of the third frame. A leadoff single to left field from Amber Gainer was followed by a Jade Gainer double off the right center field wall to place runners in scoring position. Keatts steps into the box and hits a sacrifice fly to right field to elevate UC to a 5-0 lead to close out the third frame.

The Blue Raiders were relentless and record their lone run of the game in the top of the fourth off three hits, leaving them to trail the Patriots, 5-1. In the bottom of the fourth, Oliver led off with a double to right center followed by a Jade Gainer walk before she swiped second. With a past ball, runners advanced to third and second to set the stage for Keatts once again. Keatts smacks a double to the right center gap to push two runs across followed by a Bailey Turnbow RBI single to end the fourth inning with an 8-1 Patriots lead. Pitcher Burgess continued to deal in the circle and held the Blue Raiders to their lone run, seeing another Keatts RBI triple to right center field for the 9-1 run rule victory in the bottom of the sixth.

LEADERS
Leading the way offensively, Amber Gainer was 3-4 at the plate with one RBI and three runs while Keatts was perfect at the plate, going 3-3, with five RBIs and one run. Oliver was 2-4 at the plate with two runs followed by Jade Gainer who was 2-3 at the plate with one RBI and three runs.

Pitcher Burgess recorded her 14th win of the season after tossing a complete game, recording six strikeouts, and only allowing three hits.

GAME TWO: PATRIOTS BREEZE BY BLUE RAIDERS, 7-1
The Pats open game two with another three-up, three-down inning courtesy of pitcher Lindsey Shope. As Cumberlands approaches the plate, Amber Gainer sparks the inning with a double to shallow right field. Keatts knocks her second triple of the day off the right center field wall to put UC on the board early, 1-0. The top of the second continued to showcase the Patriots stellar defense with an Oliver web gem, holding the Blue Raiders scoreless. The bottom of the second featured an Emily Bryant drive up the middle to place her on first followed by a blooper from Aniyah White to put runners on first and second. A slow roller back to the pitcher from Dale advanced runners into scoring position, seeing an Oliver RBI single to second to elevate the Pats lead, 2-0.

In the third inning, both teams were unable to muster a run until the Blue Raiders tacked on their lone run of the game in the top of the fourth off two hits. Cumberlands was unable to add to their lead until the bottom of the fifth frame. A leadoff Oliver double down the right field line paired with an Amber Gainer double to the left center gap pushed another run across for UC, 3-1. A pair of steals for the Gainer twins put them in scoring position, seeing Amber Gainer score on a past ball. A dribbler to the pitcher from Keatts saw Jade Gainer showcase her speed and take on the Pats fifth run for a 5-1 advantage.

Back on defense, pitcher Lindsey Shope recorded a one, two, three inning to shut the Blue Raiders down. The bottom of the sixth saw Dale burn the right fielder to garner herself a triple. A hit by pitch for Oliver had runners on the corner before Oliver swiped second. A sacrifice fly from Jade Gainer and another Keatts RBI single capped the Patriots score at 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth frame. The top of the seventh saw the Blue Raiders with a lone hit, but Shope shut the door to secure the Patriots 7-1 victory.

LEADERS
Leading the way offensively, Oliver was 2-3 at the plate with one RBI and two runs while Amber Gainer was 2-4 at the plate with one RBI and two runs. Keatts was 2-4 at the plate with three RBIs followed by Atkins who was 2-4 at the plate.

Pitcher Shope recorded her 13th win of the season after tossing a complete game, recording four strikeouts and only allowing four hits.

The Patriots will conclude their final home MSC series of the season tomorrow inside the UC Softball Complex in Williamsburg, KY against Lindsey Wilson College. Tomorrow's games, April 20th, are slated for 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST) where the Patriots will be honoring their seniors.

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