LEBANON, Tenn. – The University of the Cumberlands used two big innings – five runs in the fourth in the opener and three runs in the fifth in the second contest – and Jessica Webb tossed a seven-hit shutout, helping the Patriots sweep Cumberland, 7-5 and 4-0, in softball action Friday in Williamsburg, Ky.
The Phoenix (14-11, 0-8 Mid-South) lost all four games in the series and have dropped all eight conference games over the last three weekends, all on the road.
Krystin Wilson (4-0) beat the Phoenix for the second straight day in the first game, allowing three earned runs on five hits in 4.1 innings. She did not walk a batter and struck out two. Sidney Pennycuff got the last four outs for her second save in two days.
Emily Jasper posted three hits and scored a run while Acacia Gray collected two hits and two RBIs and Meryn Livingston had two hits, two walks, one RBI and one run scored. The Patriots (14-12, 4-4) broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning, including a three-run double from Hannah Stephenson and a two-run single by Gray.
Taylor Woodring hit a two-run homer for Cumberland in the fifth inning and Caitlyn Griffin and Woodring plated runs in the sixth, pulling CU within 6-5. The Cumberlands added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a Livingston single.
Morgan Arndt (7-4) took the loss for CU, giving up seven runs on 12 hits. He walked four and struck out one.
In the second contest Webb (6-4) scattered seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out five, inducing a pair of ground-ball doubleplays. She faced two baserunners just once in the game, in the sixth after singles from Caitlyn Griffin and Tyra Graham, but the Phoenix stranded only three runners in the loss.
Gray’s two-out double in the fourth inning put the Patriots in front and RBI singles by Sarah Biggerstaff and Stephenson and a run-scoring groundout from Jasper accounted for UC’s three runs in the fifth inning.
Natasha Trujillo (2-2) took the loss for CU, allowing two earned runs on six hits in four-plus innings of work.
Graham led off the first game with a solo homer for the Phoenix, but the Patriots got the run back in the second inning.
Livingston drew a leadoff walk and Madison Huber reached on an infield single before an RBI single from Tori Malone knotted the game at one.
In the fourth Livingston started the frame with a single to left and pinch-runner Olivia DeZarn went to second on a wild pitch. Malone singled to leftcenter and a single to left by Jenna Howell loaded the bases. Stephenson’s bases-clearing double to deep left put the Cumberlands in front, 4-1.
The Patriots were not done, as Jasper singled, putting runners on the corners, and Maddie Sickau walked, loading the bases again. Gray followed with a two-run single to left for a 6-1 UC advantage.
Cumberland got two runs back in the fifth when Madison Woodruff led off with a single to leftcenter and moved to second on a bad throw from the outfield. She went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-run homer to left from Woodring, cutting the deficit to 6-3.
In the sixth Brigid Antonelli singled to start the frame and Paola Del Valle walked before a single by pinch-hitter Tawnee Hegre, loading the bases. CGriffin’s walk forced in a run and Woodring’s sacrifice fly made it 6-5.
The Patriots plated an insurance run in the bottom of the inning when Jasper drew a leadoff walk and Gray singled with one out. Livingston then singled to shallow rightfield, scoring Sickau for a 7-5 UC lead.
Antonelli tripled with two outs in the seventh but Del Valle grounded out to end the game.
Cumberland grounded into doubleplays in the second and third innings in the second contest after singles by Hegre and Kayley Caplinger.
Sickau reached on an error by Trujillo with two outs in the fourth inning and Gray followed with the RBI double for a 1-0 Patriots edge.
In the fifth Malone and pinch-hitter Corinne Haverland both singled before an RBI single from Biggerstaff. Stephenson’s single up the middle plated another run and Jasper’s groundout pushed across Biggerstaff with the game’s final run.
Cumberland plays a doubleheader at Martin Methodist this Tuesday at 4 p.m. before returning home for a four-game series next weekend against Shawnee State.
