Williamsburg, KY – For the fourth straight season, the University of the Cumberlands softball team is headed to the NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, GA. The seventeenth-ranked Patriots defeated top-seeded Keiser University 6-3 in the "if necessary" game of the NAIA Opening Round Williamsburg Bracket on Thursday afternoon to clinch the fourth World Series appearance in program history.
With the win, Cumberlands improves to 40-19 overall and advances out of the Opening Round after winning three straight elimination games.
Jessica Cord earned the victory for the Patriots, recording her 24th win of the season, setting a new program single-season record. Cord tossed 6.0 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts before Brenna Parker closed the door with a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.
Emily Delgado finished 2-for-3 with a home run and RBI, while Grace Ross added a two-run homer. Jenna Fabela, Alyssa Garcia, and Maleah Clinton each drove in runs as the Patriots totaled six runs on five hits.
Keiser struck first in the opening inning with an RBI sacrifice fly before Cumberlands exploded for five runs in the second inning.
MaKenzie Henderson drew a leadoff walk before Fabela doubled down the left field line to tie the game at 1-1. Aniyah White then reached on an error that plated another run before Clinton delivered an RBI single to extend the lead to 3-1. Ross capped the inning with a two-run home run to left field, pushing the advantage to 5-1.
The Patriots added another run in the third inning when Delgado launched a solo home run to left field, giving UC a 6-1 lead.
Keiser attempted to rally in the sixth inning with a solo home run and RBI double, trimming the deficit to 6-3, but Cord worked out of the inning before Parker retired the side in order in the seventh to send the Patriots back to Columbus.
Cumberlands finished the Opening Round with wins over #2 Saint Xavier and #1 Keiser after battling through the losers bracket.
Up Next
Cumberlands will now turn its attention to the NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, GA on May 21-27. Bracket information and game times will be announced at a later date.
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