COLUMBIA, Ky.-- The Cumberland Softball team (6-12, 4-10 MSC) pushed third ranked Lindsey Wilson (28-0, 20-0 MSC) to the limit on Monday night. The Phoenix ultimately fell 4-3 and 6-5 in extra innings.
Cumberland fell in a 6-5 heartbreaking loss to Lindsey Wilson in the first game of the doubleheader. The Phoenix trailed 1-0 until the top of the fourth inning when Madison Woodruff hit a solo shot into left-field to tie the game up. Lindsey Wilson retook the lead in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead.
The Phoenix put together one of their best innings of the season in the top of the sixth. Madison Woodruff drove in DeeDee Dunn to tie the game up at 2-2. Cumberland loaded up the bases after Mariah Clark got hit by a pitch. The Phoenix took advantage of that as Kenzie France stepped up to the plate and drove in Tyra Graham. Ashton Whiles stepped up to the plate and recorded a two-RBI double to give the Phoenix a 5-2 lead over the #3 team in the nation.
The Blue Raiders were quick to answer, tying it up at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth. The game went into extra innings, where the Blue Raiders scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Mikayla Marquez RBI single into left-field.
Cumberland's Mariah Clark was in the circle for the whole game for the Phoenix. The junior gave up nine hits and five earned runs while striking out six Blue Raider hitters.
The Phoenix had an impressive offensive output against one of the nation's best pitchers in Lindsey Wilson's Annabelle Ramirez. Leading the way for the Phoenix was Madison Woodruff, who went 2-4 with two RBI's, including a deep home run. Also, recording hits for Cumberland were Tyra Graham, Ashton Whiles, Lexi Riggall, and DeeDee Dunn.
The second game started similarly for the Phoenix. Cumberland trailed 1-0 after Lindsey Wilson broke the scoreless game in the bottom of the third. The game remained 1-0 until the top of the seventh. Cumberland's Mariah Clark took a pitch yard to tie the game up at 1-1. Ashton Whiles stole home on an exciting play to give the Phoenix the lead over the unbeaten Blue Raiders.
Lindsey Wilson answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings for the second time on the day. In the top of the ninth, Cumberland took a 3-2 lead after Ashton Whiles hit a huge solo home run. Ultimately, Lindsey Wilson came back and won the game 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth. The Phoenix had them on the ropes with two outs. Makea-Al Kaluau and Alexis Garza had RBI hits to give the Blue Raiders the win.
Bela Soto was in the circle for Cumberland for eight innings. Soto gave up three earned runs and 13-hits. Kailtin Higgins came in to replace her in the bottom of the ninth.
Leading the way offensively for the Phoenix was Ashton Whiles and Mariah Clark, who both went 2-4 from the plate and chipped in a home run. Lexi Riggall and Madison Woodruff also tallied hits in the effort.
The Cumberland Softball team takes the field at home in a doubleheader against Tennessee Wesleyan with the games starting at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
