LEBANON, Tenn. – Mia Aldridge hit a two-run, walk-off homer in the opener and 16th-ranked Campbellsville University scored five times in the first inning in the second contest, taking 2-1 and 6-4 victories over Cumberland in softball action Saturday in Campbellsville, Ky.
The Phoenix (12-7, 0-4 Mid-South) stranded 10 runners in the opener and 11 more in the second contest, collecting 17 combined hits in the two games, but the Tigers (16-3, 4-0) did just enough to sweep the four-game series after 15-6 and 8-7 wins last Saturday.
Caitlyn Griffin singled and Brigid Antonelli scored on an error by Campbellsville leftfielder Lexi Miller in the sixth inning for a 1-0 Cumberland lead in the first game. The Phoenix left two runners on base in the second and seventh innings and the bases loaded in the sixth.
Aleigha Talsma drew a one-out walk in the seventh got the Tigers and two batters later, Aldridge drilled a 2-1 pitch over the wall in centerfield for the walk-off victory, ending the terrific performance by CU’s Morgan Arndt.
The senior righthander (6-2) allowed just four hits with four walks and two strikeouts, getting 15 fly ball outs. She worked around and error and a hit by pitch in the fourth inning and two walks in the fifth. In the sixth Tori Humphrey doubled with two outs but pinch-runner Ivy Hedgespeth was thrown out at the plate by Griffin trying to score on a single by Ryleigh Oldham.
Morgan Gailor (6-2) got the win for Campbellsville, giving up one run on eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Campbellsville scored five times in the first inning against Kayley Caplinger (4-4) in the second contest on RBI hits from Miller, Oldham and Dana Adkins and a two-run homer by Riley Hurst.
Cumberland plated two runs in the second inning, one on a double by Taylor Woodring, and got single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, one on a double from Woodring. CU stranded a pair of runners in the first, fourth, fifth and seventh innings, lining into a doubleplay in the seventh and lining out to end the game.
Caplinger tossed just an inning, allowing five runs on four hits with five walks. Natasha Trujillo gave up one run on seven hits with four strikeouts in five innings of relief for the Phoenix.
Talsma (7-1) allowed four runs, one earned, on eight hits in five innings. She walked three and struck out five. Karson Williams picked up the save with two shutout frames, giving up one hit with two strikeouts.
Graham was stranded after a leadoff double to start the doubleheader and Griffin and Tawnee Hegre both singled in the second inning but were left stranded. Graham walked, stole second and went to third on a groundout by Imani Torregano in the third inning and Hegre singled in the fourth before the Phoenix were retired in order in the fifth.
Arndt issued a two-out walk in the first and Oldham singled with two outs in the second for the Tigers before a perfect third for the righthander. Hurst reached on an error and Humphrey drew a two-out walk in the fourth and Arndt induced three straight fly balls after giving up two walks to start the fifth.
The game remained scoreless until a leadoff single from Caplinger in the sixth, but pinch-runner Jasmine Krauss was thrown out trying to steal second. Antonelli singled and Paola Del Valle walked before the single to left by Griffin. Miller booted the ball, allowing Antonelli to score. Hegre was hit to load the bases, but Kaylee Luckett struck out and Woodring flied out to end the inning.
Humphrey doubled to right with two outs in the bottom of the inning and Oldham hit a 2-0 pitch to left for a single, but Griffin gunned down Hedgespeth at the plate to keep the Phoenix in the lead.
Graham doubled and Antonelli walked with two outs in the seventh, but Del Valle flied out to end the threat for an insurance run.
Cumberland looked to start fast in the second contest with a single by Griffin and a double from Caplinger, but Antonelli popped out and Del Valle grounded out in the top of the first.
Payton Blades and Aldridge both walked to leadoff the bottom of the first before an RBI single to right by Miller, who was thrown out trying to take second. Hurst followed with a two-run homer and the Tigers led 3-0 after four batters.
Humphrey walked with two outs and Oldham followed with an RBI double. Keisha Curry also drew a free pass and Adkins singled to right, plating another run for a 5-0 Campbellsville lead.
Hegre reached on an error to start the second inning and Madison Woodruff singled before an RBI single to right from Woodring. Pinch-runner Baylee Giordano was thrown out trying to take third on the play by Woodring advanced to second and went to third on Torregano’s infield hit. Torregano stole second and Woodring came across when the throw to second got away, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
In the fourth Giordano walked and moved to second on Woodring’s sacrifice bunt. With two outs Graham walked and Griffin’s grounder was booted at second, allowing Giordano to score for a 5-3 score.
The Tigers got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Oldham was hit to leadoff and went to second on a wild pitch with two outs. Blades singled to the left side of the infield and the throw went to the plate, as Oldham took a wide turn around third. Del Valle’s pickoff attempt behind the runner sailed into leftfield, allowing the run to come across.
In the fifth Antonelli singled and Hegre was hit with one out. Woodring doubled home a run with two outs but pinch-hitter Courtney Miles struck out with the tying runs on base.
Graham singled to start the sixth for CU, went to second on a wild pitch and third on Griffin’s sac bunt, but Caplinger and Antonelli both grounded out to end the inning.
In the seventh Del Valle was hit to leadoff but Hegre lined into a doubleplay. Giordano and Woodring both walked with two outs but DeeDee Dunn lined out to end the contest.
Cumberland plays a doubleheader Tuesday at Martin Methodist at 4 p.m. and heads to the University of the Cumberlands for a four-game series next weekend to end the month as well as an eight-game road game stretch.
