Williamsburg, KY – The Patriots opened Mid-South Conference play with a sweep over the RV Freed-Hardeman Lions after winning the second and third game of the series on Friday afternoon. Cumberlands won game one 5-2 and followed that performance with an 8-0 five inning run-rule, moving to 16-6 on the season and 3-0 in MSC play after a dominant weekend.
Maliyah Wilkins finished the day 2-6 with two homeruns and three RBI's while Carly Oliver went a combined 4-7 with three doubles and six RBI's. Amber Gainer finished 2-4, scoring four runs and stealing a pair of bases while Bailey Turnbow hit a homerun for the Pats as well.
Game one saw Jessica Cord earn her seventh win of the season throwing 5.2 IP with 1 R, 4 H, 3 Ks while Cassidy Gentry came in relief for the final 1.1 innings where she allowed just one hit and one run. Game two saw Lindsey Shope get her seventh win of the year as well, throwing 4.1 scoreless innings, followed by Kaitlyn Schofield who got the final two outs of the run-rule victory.
Pats Secure Series with 5-2 Win
UC jumped out to an early lead due to great base running from Amber Gainer. She led the inning off with a single and stole second the next at-bat. She then advanced to third off a sacrifice bunt from Emma McDonald and scored on a ball that got by the catcher the next batter to give UC the 1-0 lead after one.
FHU responded with a sac-fly in the third to even things up at one apiece. UC answered right back in the bottom half from a solo-shot from Wilkins to bring the score to 2-1. They then added on two more in the fourth off a two-RBI single from Oliver. Ryann Livingston earned a pinch-hit single to lead off the inning and moved to second after Marquila Howell bunted for a single. McDonald walked to load the bases before Oliver delivered her two-RBI shot to take a 4-1 lead after four.
Cord sat the Lions down in order in the fifth, striking out the first two batters of the inning. Gentry then came into pitch in the sixth with runners on the corners and got the Pats out of the jam with no harm done. Neither team scored until the bottom of the sixth, where Oliver delivered once again with a double to score A. Gainer, who drew a walk and stole second to move into scoring position before the Oliver base hit.
Gentry came back out for the seventh and gave up a sac-fly with two outs but ended up completing the game to give UC the 5-2 win.
UC Sweep FHU with 8-0 Run Rule
Shope earned a pair of ground outs before striking out the final batter of the first inning, and went one, two, three in the second to keep the Lions scoreless. Jade Gainer singled in the bottom half and stole second to move into scoring position. After an Abby Guinn walk, Jules Johnson put the ball and play, resulting in a Lions error that scored Gainer to give UC the 1-0 lead.
FHU threatened in the third, but Shope got out of the jam with a flyout to left. UC took advantage of the momentum as Gainer reached on a HBP and advanced to second after McDonald bunted for a hit. Oliver then came through once again with a double, scoring Gainer and moving McDonald to third. After a pair of ground outs, J. Gainer and Guinn both drew walks, scoring McDonald to give UC a three-run lead after three.
After another scoreless inning from Shope, the Pats tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the fourth. A. Gainer doubled to left center before McDonald walked. Oliver earned her second double of the game to score both runners and put UC up 5-0. Wilkins then stepped to the plate and hit her second homerun of the day for two more runs. Bailey Turnbow followed with a homerun of her own as the Pats went back-to-back to take the 8-0 lead.
After two Lions hits in the top of the fifth with one out, UC called on Schofield to close out the game. She did just that, getting a ground ball to second, followed by a grounder to third for the final out of the game, giving UC the 8-0 run-rule win.
With the three-game series sweep, UC are now 16-6 on the year and 3-0 in conference play. The Patriots will return to the diamond next week as they travel to Columbia, KY to take on the Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson College. First pitch is set for Friday at 5 PM ET, with a double-header at 3 PM and 5 PM on Saturday.
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