LEBANON, Tenn.-- The Cumberland Softball team (6-14, 4-10 MSC) lost both games of the home doubleheader against Tennessee Wesleyan (11-5, 7-3 AAC). The Phoenix fell 5-3 in the first game and 7-5 in the second.
Cumberland struck first in the first game of the doubleheader going up 1-0 in the first inning. Madison Woodruff hit a sac-fly RBI that brought Tyra Graham home. The lead did not last long, as Tennessee Wesleyan got on the board in the top of the second.
The Phoenix battled back to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the second. Ashtyn Blair reached home on a Bulldog error, and Lexi Riggall scored on a fielder's choice to give the Phoenix a 3-1 lead. Cumberland couldn't hold onto that lead and gave up four unanswered runs to the Bulldogs, including a two-run seventh inning to break the tie and win the game 5-3.
Cumberland was outhit in the game 10-7 and recorded three more errors than the Bulldogs with six. Mariah Clark pitched six innings for the Phoenix and only gave up one earned run while striking out four batters. Bela Soto came in to relieve her and gave up two runs in the seventh.
Ashtyn Blair led the way for the Phoenix offensively by going 2-3 from the plate. Also recording hits for the Phoenix were Taylor Woodring, Madison woodruff, Mariah Clark, Ashton Whiles, and Kenzie France.
The Phoenix started the second game of the doubleheader in an uphill climb, down 2-0 after the top of the first. Ashton Whiles scored on a fielding error in the second inning to cut the lead to 2-1. In the third inning, Mariah Clark cranked an RBI-double to left-center field to tie the game back up at 2-2.
The Bulldogs responded with three runs of their own in the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead. Tyra Graham hit her first homer of the season in the fifth inning to cut the Tennessee Wesleyan lead to 5-3. The Bulldogs expanded their lead to 7-3 in the sixth inning. Montana Ray had an RBI and Lexi Riggall scored on a wild pitch in the sixth, but the comeback was stopped short, resulting in a 7-5 Bulldog win.
Four Phoenix pitchers had appearances in the game. Bela Soto pitched one inning and Kaitlin Higgins pitched three innings. Emily Cooper and Allyson Shoulders also made a one-inning appearance. The four combined to give up 11 hits, four runs, and only one strikeout.
Cumberland recorded six hits as a team. Tyra Graham led the way, going 2-3 from the plate with a run scored and an RBI. Madison Woodruff, Mariah Clark, Ashtyn Blair, and Lexi Riggall were the Cumberland batters who also recorded a hit.
The Cumberland Softball team takes the diamond in a doubleheader on the road in Williamsburg, Ky., at the University of the Cumberlands on Apr. 6.
