Midway, KY – The Patriots extended their win streak to 14 after a double header sweep over the Midway Eagles. UC utilized a quick start and great defense in game one to take the 3-0 win and tallied 16 hits to score 14 runs for a 14-9 victory in game number two. With the wins UC are now 26-6 on the season.
Game one saw Lindsey Shope earn her 12th win of the year to move to 12-2 on the season. Shope pitched her ninth complete game and fourth shutout to continue her stellar year in the circle. Emma McDonald went 3-4 with an RBI and a double while Jules Johnson and Aniyah White added two hits each.
Five Patriots recorded at least two hits in the second game led by White and Maliyah Wilkins who each ended the game with three. White went 3-3 with two doubles and an RBI while Wilkins finished 3-4 with a double and an RBI. McDonald added three hits and two RBI's with Bailey Turnbow smoking two doubles for a pair of RBI's as well. Carly Oliver hit the final double of the game for two more RBI's while Jade Gainer also finished with two runs batted in. Marquila Howell rounded out the Pats with a 2-4 performance and two RBI's as well. In the circle, Jessica Cord got the start, and Cassidy Gentry came in relief to earn her first collegiate win. The freshman threw four innings allowing just one earned run.
Shope Throws Fourth Shutout of Season
The Patriots jumped out to a hot start on the Eagles with a three-run first inning. A. Gainer led off the game with a double and scored a batter later off a single from McDonald. Wilkins drew a walk and advanced to second off a grounder from Turnbow. The freshman then scored off an Eagle error for the second run of the inning. Jules Johnson followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Turnbow, making it 3-0 Pats after the top of the first.
After giving up a pair of singles to start her outing, Shope earned three straight outs to strand the Eagles baserunners on the corners. UC then put two runners on in the second from a Marquila Howell walk and a double from McDonald but could not score a run as the score stayed at 3-0.
After a quick top of the third, Shope left runners on the corners once again, getting a lineout to first to end the inning. The top of the fourth saw singles from White and Howell, but UC could not take advantage, leaving both runners on.
Lindsey Shope was dominant over the next three innings, earning nine-straight outs to keep UC's three-run advantage into the seventh. Cumberlands threatened with two hits in both the sixth and seventh innings, but again could not score the runners as Shope came back to the circle for the final inning. The graduate senior struck out two of the final three batters of the day to earn the win, as UC took game one 3-0.
Pats Score 14 Runs off 16 Hits in Comeback Win
UC scored three runs in the first off hits from A. Gainer and Wilkins. Gainer led off with a single before McDonald and Oliver drew walks to load the bases. Gainer then scored on a wild pitch, while McDonald scored a batter later from a Wilkins double. J. Gainer then hit a sacrifice fly to score Oliver, giving UC a 3-0 lead in the first.
Neither team scored until the top of the third when back-to-back doubles from Wilkins and Turnbow extended their lead to four runs. Cord delivered another scoreless inning in the third, giving UC an opportunity to extend their lead further in the fourth. White led the inning off with a single before Howell got on due to an MU error. A. Gainer reached on a fielder's choice that saw White get forced out at third, before McDonald singles to right field to score Howell. Oliver then delivered a sacrifice fly to score Gainer from third for the second run of the inning. McDonald showed aggressiveness on the basepaths, stealing second, and advancing to third on a bad throw from the catcher. She then scored on a wild pitch to put UC ahead 7-0.
The Eagles did not go down without a fight, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a one-run lead. After Destry Lambert came in relief for Cord, UC called on Cassidy Gentry to get all three outs and get UC back in the dugout.
The Patriots offense answered right back with a four-spot in the fifth to regain the lead. J. Gainer led off the fifth with a walk and moved to second off a sacrifice bunt from Amber Atkins. White then doubled to the left center gap to score Gainer and proceeded to score the at-bat after from a Howell single. Hits from McDonald and Oliver then gave UC two more runs to make it 11-8 in favor of the Pats.
Midway got one run back in the fifth before Turnbow doubled and scored off another Atkins sacrifice to get the run right back. Gentry came back out to the circle and threw a scoreless sixth, allowing UC to score two more runs in the top of the seventh off Turnbow and J. Gainer RBI's.
After giving up a lead off single, Gentry buckled down for three straight outs to seal the 14-9 victory for Cumberlands, earning the first win of her collegiate career.
The Patriots will look to continue their winning ways at Bethel University this weekend, where they will take on the Wildcats in a three-game MSC series. First pitch of game one is set for 4 PM in McKenzie, TN on Friday.
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