LEBANON, Tenn.--The Phoenix ran through the Rams in the first game of the day, 8-4, before taking their first loss of the season in the second game of today's double-header, 14-2, in softball action in Billy Dee Ross Stadium.
Cumberland (3-1) did a great job on keeping Bluefield (2-4) scoring threats from reaching base in the first game as the Rams’ 10 hits only earned them four runs. The second game was a different story as Cumberland struggled to put runners on base as Bluefield put up 14 runs on 13 hits.
Mariah Clark (2-0) got the start and win in game one, putting together a great performance with seven strikeouts, only four hits, and no runs in 3.1 innings of play. Bela Soto came in to finish out the final 3.2 innings of play, giving up all four of the Rams’ runs (only two earned).
Cumberland got incredibly consistent play from its third baseman Ashton Whiles in the first game as she was 4-for-4 from the plate with a double, a stolen base, and a run batted in. Clark and Kayley Caplinger led the team with three and two RBIs, respectively; Clark’s runs all coming on a three-run homer. Tyra Graham picked up two stolen bases for the third-straight game.
In the circle for the Rams, Laken Sparks went the distance throwing all six innings, sitting down one Phoenix batter while giving up eight runs (three earned) on 12 hits.
Playing first base in the first game, Lexi Harmon--much like in the second game--was a force at the plate going 2-for-4, driving in three runs on a three-run homerun.
The Phoenix had a quick start to the game, as the third batter to the plate, Madison Woodruff, hit a single to the shortstop to drive in a run. Two batters later with bases loaded and only a single out, Caplinger slapped a ball into center field, earning two runs to push the Cumberland’s lead to 3-0 in the first.
Bluefield looked to even things up in the top of the second, Clark finding herself in a sticky situation with bases loaded and no outs. Clark struck out the next two batters swinging before ending the threat with a groundout. Woodruff picked up her second RBI of the game when she reached on a fielding error by the third baseman. With runners on second and third and two outs, Clark slammed a bomb over the center field wall, extending the advantage to 7-0.
Neither team could put up any runs in the third or fourth innings, but the teams traded runs over the final three innings of play. The Rams’ broke through in the fifth, gathering three runs off the big bat of Harmon as she homered just inside of the left field line. Whiles singled into left field to bring Tyra Graham home for her third run of the day in the sixth, and Bluefield put up the final score of the day, 8-4, when Harmon made it home after a Cumberland fielding error.
The Phoenix pitchers had a hard time containing Bluefield in the final game of the day. Caplinger (1-1) started on the mound and threw the first 5.2 innings of the game, picking up six strikeouts, but also allowed six runs on as many hits. Allyson Shoulders and Emily Cooper got limited action in relief, pitching 0.2 innings each as the Rams’ runs continued to pile up.
Graham, Woodruff, and Woodring batted well on the game with each hitting a double, but the Phoenix were unable to put hits together to bring runners home.
At pitcher in the second game, Harmon (1-1) pitched the entire game, racking up nearly 100 pitches in her complete game win. She was also near unstoppable at the plate in this game, going 3-for-4 with two home runs that nearly collided with Labry Hall on her way to 5 RBIs. Right Fielder Carlee King also connected on a home run to go along with her 4-for-5 performance and three RBIs.
Harmon got the game started with a solo shot that was well over the left field wall, before the team’s struggled to get runners on base over the next two innings. The Rams’ advantage swelled in the fourth inning to 3-0 as Harmon yet again connected on a blast over the left field wall to bring in two more runs.
In the top of the sixth, a two-run double into left field by Bluefield’s Kristin Storer, led to a change at pitcher, Shoulders coming in. The next at bat ended in another double, as the Phoenix limped out of the sixth inning in a 6-0 hole. The seventh inning saw any hope of getting back into the game being dispelled as the Rams’ strung together eight more runs. The Phoenix picked up their only two runs of the game in the bottom of the seventh, Macey Milliken driving home Mackynley Bendykowski when she grounded into a double play and Graham picking up an RBI on an infield single.
The Phoenix play on the road tomorrow, traveling to Talladega for a double header. Game one is set to start at 1 p.m.
