ATHENS, Tenn.-- Cumberland Softball (9-19, 5-15 MSC) sweeps a non-conference doubleheader on the road against Tennessee Wesleyan (21-11, 17-7 AAC). Cumberland pulled out a 5-3 win in the first game and a 14-6 offensive explosion win in game two.

Cumberland started the day in a 2-0 hole after a big first inning from Tennessee Wesleyan in the first game. The Phoenix were quick to respond, though, with two runs of their own in the top of the second. DeeDee Dunn hit a two-RBI single that brought home Ahstyn Blair and Kenzie France.

Cumberland had another big inning in the top of the fifth. Madison Woodruff hit a sac-fly to bring home Dee Dee Dunn. Taylor Woodring scored on an error, and Ashtyn Blair hit an RBI-Single to right field to give the Phoenix a 5-2 lead.

Tennessee Wesleyan scored in the bottom of the sixth to make it interesting at 5-3. Ultimately, Cumberland was able to hold on to the lead and win 5-3. Mariah Clark came in to relieve Emily Cooper, and she gave up two hits in 3.2 innings pitched while striking out two Bulldog batters. 

Cumberland recorded 11 hits compared to Tennessee Wesleyan's ten hits. The Phoenix also had fewer errors than the Bulldogs with one in the game. DeeDee Dunn had the best game from the plate of all Phoenix hitters going 3-3 with two RBI's. Taylor Woodring, Ashton Whiles, Ashtyn Blair, and Kenzie France contributed two hits each for the team.

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Phoenix bats came alive in an explosion of runs and hits. The Bulldogs opened up the scoring with a three-run first inning. Tyra Graham hit a double into deep left-center in the top of the second that brought home Ashtyn Blair and Lexi Riggall. The Bulldogs added another two runs in the bottom of the second to establish a 5-2 lead. 

After this point, it was all Cumberland, and the floodgates opened. Cumberland scored eight runs in the top of the third. Ashton Whiles, Kenzie France, Lexi Riggall, and DeeDee Dunn tallied RBI's in the inning to give the Phoenix a 10-5 lead. Tennesse Wesleyan kept it a four-run game after scoring in the bottom of the third to make the score 10-6.

Errors began to plague the Bulldogs in the top of the fourth, and the Phoenix took advantage of it. A fielding error by TWU allowed Kenzie France and DeeDee Dunn to get home, while a wild pitch brought home Tyra Graham. The last run of the inning came on a Taylor Woodring RBI single to give the Phoenix a 14-6 lead. The Phoenix would nurse the lead until the bottom of the fifth when the run-rule kicked in, and Cumberland won the game 14-6.

Both teams had a solid outing from the plate, but Cumberland set the standard with a whopping 17 hits compared to TWU's ten. Both teams played a relatively error-free game, with one error apiece. Bela Soto pitched for the Phoenix, giving up nine hits and six earned runs in three innings of action. Kaitlin Higgins came in to relieve Soto and tossed two scoreless innings while only giving up one hit.

Offensively for the Phoenix, every batter in the lineup recorded at least one hit. Lexi Riggall, Madison Woodruff, and Ashtyn Blair led the team with three hits in four at-bats, while Mariah Clark and DeeDee Dunn contributed two hits and two RBI's to the scoring effort. Recording one hit for the Phoenix was Kenzie France, Ashton Whiles, Taylor Woodring, and Tyra Graham. Cumberland totaled 28 hits on the day across both games of the doubleheader. 

The Phoenix are back in action tomorrow at home against Martin Methodist College with games at noon and 2 p.m.