Williamsburg, KY – The third-ranked Patriots opened their season on Saturday with a pair of wins over the No. 6 ranked Madonna Crusaders. UC scored early in the first game and held on to earn a 2-1 a victory and rallied late to a 4-2 win in game two. Cumberlands have now opened the season 2-0 for the third year in a row.
Game 1: PATS DEFENSE SHINES IN 2-1 WIN
Lindsey Shope entered the circle for UC in game one and finished with a complete game while giving up just one run. The graduate student is coming off a fantastic senior season and picked up where she left off, pitching to contact, and allowing her defense to make plays all around her. She picked up the win, moving to 1-0 on the year, and did so without recording a strikeout. At the plate, Carly Oliver led the way with a 1-2 performance, including an RBI double in the first inning. Amber Gainer and Marquila Howell went 1-3 for UC's other two hits in the game.
After a quick first inning on defense that saw Shope get an infield pop up and a pair of ground outs, A. Gainer led the season off with a hit by pitch. She then moved into scoring position with her first stolen base of the year, scoring two plays later off an Oliver double down the left field line. Bailey Turnbow then reached on an error, followed by a walk from Amber Atkins to load the bases with one down. Jade Gainer then did a job, hitting a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Oliver from third.
Both teams stranded a runner in scoring position in the second, before Madonna got on the board in the top of the third with a pair of singles. Shope responded, getting an easy groundball to Oliver at second to end the inning with UC still leading 2-1.
The Pats defense continued to be solid with a three up-three down fifth inning, followed by a one-hit sixth that saw Shope field two ground balls herself to end the inning. She went back out for her final inning of work and earned three straight outs off two ground outs to third and a fly out to Kaysee Dale in right field to end the game and give UC the 2-1 season-opening victory.
Game 2: LATE RALLY LIFTS UC OVER #6 MADONNA
Junior transfer Jessica Cord made her Patriots debut in the second game of the day. Cord would earn a complete game victory in her season opener going 7 IP, 5 K, 2 R. Offensively, Oliver and Howell recorded one hit while J. Gainer earned her first hit of the year as well. Atkins also finished 1-3 with Aniyah White gaining UC's only RBI of the game.
The Crusaders jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first half inning. Cumberlands tried to answer by loading the bases on an Oliver single and walks from J. Gainer and Turnbow but could not score as they stranded three runners on base.
Cord responded well in her second inning of work, sitting the Crusaders down one, two, three. She then worked out of a jam in the third with runners on second and third and no outs. J. Gainer made the first play, fielding the ball at third and firing home to get the MU runner. Cord then recorded her third strikeout of the game, followed by a heads up play from the Pats infield that saw Atkins throw down to Oliver, who then flipped it to White at second to catch the runner stealing.
The Pats stranded two more runners in scoring position in the third as both Gainer's got on but could not cross the plate. Both teams then went three up-three down, heading into the bottom of the fifth.
After a Madonna pitching change, A. Gainer got on base after getting hit with a pitch. She advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third off an infield single from Howell. Oliver then came to the plate, hitting a line drive that the center fielder misplayed, scoring both Howell and gainer to tie things up at 2-2 after five.
Cord continued to deal, sitting three Madonna batters down in a row with a pair of strikeouts and an easy ground ball to third. UC carried this momentum to the plate, where Atkins led off with a bloop single to center. Cloe Smith came in to run and went first to third off an MU error that allowed Jules Johnson to reach first safely as well. Aniyah White then did her job, hitting a deep fly ball to left field, scoring Smith from third. Johnson, who tagged up from second on the SAC fly as well, scored the following pitch after the ball squeaked by the catcher, putting UC ahead 4-2.
The top of the seventh started with an MU single, but Cord would get the next batter to hit a soft grounder to Turnbow at first base. The Crusaders drew a walk the next batter, bringing the go ahead run to the plate. Cord did not fold, getting two straight ground balls that Oliver and Gainer fielded cleanly to end the game with UC on top, 4-2.
The Patriots start the year 2-0 and look for the series sweep over #6 Madonna tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 1 PM ET.
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