Williamsburg, KY – The seventeenth-ranked University of the Cumberlands softball team stayed alive in the NAIA Opening Round Williamsburg Bracket with a pair of wins on Wednesday, defeating #2 Saint Xavier 3-2 in elimination play before knocking off #1 Keiser University 6-3 to force an "if necessary" game. The Patriots improve to 39-19 overall.
GAME 1: PATS EDGE SAINT XAVIER TO STAY ALIVE
Cumberlands struck first in the opening inning as Grace Ross tripled and scored on an error to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.
Saint Xavier answered in the bottom half of the inning to even the score at 1-1.
The Patriots regained the lead in the fourth inning as Maleah Clinton reached and came around to score on an RBI double from Ross, making it 2-1.
Saint Xavier tied the game in the fifth, but Cumberlands delivered the deciding run in the seventh. MaKenzie Henderson launched a solo home run to give the Patriots a 3-2 lead.
Cumberlands totaled three runs on eight hits, while Saint Xavier was limited to two runs on four hits.
Ross led the offense, going 2-for-2 with a double, triple, RBI, and two runs scored, while Henderson finished 2-for-3 with a home run and RBI. Jenna Fabela also recorded two hits.
In the circle, Jessica Cord tossed a complete game, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with three walks, recording 18 ground ball outs in the win.
GAME 2: FOUR-RUN INNING LIFTS PATS PAST #1 KEISER
Keiser struck early, scoring one run in the first and adding a two-run home run in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
Cumberlands answered in the third inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four runs on five hits. Emily Delgado drove in a run with an RBI single, MaKenzie Henderson added an RBI walk, Kristen Smith followed with an RBI single, and Jenna Fabela capped the inning with another RBI single to give the Patriots a 4-3 lead.
The Patriots added to the lead in the sixth as Alyssa Garcia delivered an RBI double, pushing the advantage to 5-3.
Cumberlands added an insurance run in the seventh, scoring on a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 6-3.
The Patriots finished with six runs on eight hits, while Keiser totaled three runs on nine hits.
Delgado led the offense, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Garcia added two hits and an RBI. Fabela and Smith each drove in a run, and Henderson contributed two RBIs.
In the circle, Brenna Parker earned the win with 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing five hits. Jessica Cord worked 4.1 innings, allowing three runs while striking out three.
UP NEXT
Cumberlands will face Keiser in the "if necessary" game on Thursday, May 13 at 12:00 PM ET with a trip to the NAIA World Series on the line.
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