Columbia, Ky.-- Phoenix softball opens up their final regular-season road series with a doubleheader sweep over Lindsey Wilson. Cumberland hit well all day long while holding the Blue Raiders to just one run over the 14 innings. 

Cumberland dominated game one with eight runs on 16 hits while Lindsey Wilson struggled offensively. Bailey Griffith tossed a complete game for CU, giving up six hits, no runs, and striking out three.

Ashley Evans was impressive from the plate going 3-for-3 with four runs. Ashtyn Blair recorded the lone home run of the game, adding four RBIs to her statline. 

The Phoenix showed offensive grit right off the bat with Anna Lay and Evans each earning a run at the top of the first. Lay reached third on back-to-back Blue Raider errors and was scored as Blair grounded out to shortstop. Abby Chappell pushed it out to a 2-0 lead with a single through the left side, sending Evans home. 

Griffith punched out two hitters and forced a groundout to Chappell to keep the Blue Raiders scoreless at the bottom. 

The Phoenix continued to cruise with three runs to extend the lead to 5-0 at the top of the second. Allie Burelson singled up the middle on the second at-bat and was scored as Evans singled to first. Ashton Whiles hit an RBI-single to bring Lay in for her second run of the day. Evans also reached home for a second time, scoring on Chappell’s single to third.

Lindsey Wilson woke up their bats in the second to record their first two hits of the game but were ultimately unable to get on the board. 

After an uneventful third inning, Evans was walked and stole two to open up the fourth. She was scored on the next at-bat as Blair doubled to left field for a 6-0 score. 

Lindsey Wilson had a solid opportunity to get on the board at the bottom of fifth with bases loaded and two outs, but Griffith forced a line out to third to keep them scoreless. 

Evans continued to swing well with a leadoff triple at the top of the sixth, reaching home on the next at-bat as Blair blasted her first homer of the season.

Blair continued to do good things for CU in game two as she scored Lay with a double to left field at the top of the first. Cooper threw a quick first inning as the Blue Raiders were unable to get on base.

Lindsey Wilson recorded their first run of the day at the bottom of the second as Madyson Jones singled up the middle to send Kelsie Bostock home.  

Brianna Bartley hit a leadoff double to left center to open up the third but was left stranded as Savannah Robbins threw a gem to keep it tied. 

The Phoenix recorded another leadoff double at the top of the fourth as Chappell swung through the leftline and then was brought in on the throw of Jacey Hatfield’s bunt. Madison Koczersut doubled on the next at-bat to bring Hatfield home, giving CU a 3-1 advantage. Koczersut added one more run to the inning, this one being unearned as Evans reached first on an error.  

The Blue Raiders cut the deficit down to two at the bottom of the sixth when Tanlee Hudgins blasted a home run single for a 4-2 score.   

Cumberland held down the final inning to complete the 2-0 day. Emily Cooper earned the win as she threw a complete game consisting of four hits and two runs.  

The Phoenix will look to complete the full series sweep tomorrow at 1 pm.