CU softball splits series with Lindsey Wilson on Senior Day

Apr. 3—Cumberland took game one last Saturday but had to settle for a split on senior day, winning the middle two games of the weekend Mid-South Conference series against Lindsey Wilson at Billy Dee Ross Stadium.

Lindsey Wilson came out swinging early, putting up two runs on the board in the top of the first. After battling to get two outs, the Blue Raiders hit a bloop single and Elizabeth Funk got a hold of a pitch from Kaitlin Higgins, hitting a two run homer.

The Phoenix looked to answer quickly by getting both Anna Lay and Ashley Evans on base, but the Blue Raiders defense got themselves out of a jam. After a pop fly from Abby Chappell, the LWC third baseman made a great play at the bag, tagging up to get Lay out and gunning a throw to first to end the first frame on a double play.

After a quick top of the second, the Phoenix again got their first two batters on base. Jacey Hatfield laid down a bunt and was able to leg it out to first, while Bryley Bartley reached via a walk.

Unlike last inning though, Abbie Peach made certain that her senior day was not spoiled, slapping a three-run home run just over the left field fence. Gracie Arnemann then stepped up and kept the inning going with a single to the right center gap.

Lindsey quickly grabbed a run back to make it a tie ballgame, stretching a single into three bases with a stolen base and an error. From there a sacrifice fly with no outs would push across the runner, though the inning would end 3-3.

After that point, the offense from both teams seemed to slow down, with no runs being put on the board for several innings. Each team was able to get runners on base, but could not find a way to push them across the plate, combining for 12 hits heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Phoenix had the top of their lineup to work with going into the bottom of the final frame, with Anna Lay, Ashley Evans, and Abby Chappell all guaranteed to hit. Evans was able to get on base and give the Phoenix some hope, even making it as far as third base after a Kenzie France double, but the game went to extra innings.

Shutting the Blue Raiders down in the first inning of extras, the Phoenix again gave themselves a chance to walk it off. After walking to lead off the frame, Bryley Bartley got herself into scoring position from a Sara Brogdon sac fly.

Ending the third game of the weekend with a bang, Arnemann recorded her second and most important hit of the game, sending a double over the centerfielder into the left field gap, scoring Bartley in the process.

Carley Clinard was in the circle for game two and the Blue Raiders found success off her early. A leadoff walk and an error helped to put two runners on for LWC, while the error pushed the runners onto second and third.

Clever baserunning from Lindsey Wilson got the Phoenix infield in a jam and another error pushed across the first run of the game, 1-0 for Lindsey. Their first baseman then hit a sacrifice fly to score the runner on third, finishing the inning with a two run lead.

Anna Lay again did what she often does, slapping a leadoff single and getting herself all the way to third base from a stolen base and a Blue Raider error. Ashley Evans got the Phoenix on the board with a single of her own, giving Lay a short run from third to home.

Kenzie France then came up with one thing on her mind, putting the Phoenix back in the driver's seat. After working herself to a 2-2 count, the senior day honoree matched Peach's effort from game one with a two-run homerun to take the lead back.

Similarly to the last game, it took several more innings for either team to put any runs on the board, with the Blue Raiders answering in the top of the fourth. Two singles and a double loaded the bases for Lindsey with just one out, setting up Kendall Dailey for a two-run single to go back ahead, 4-3.

Cumberland nearly answered quickly, slapping two hits in the inning, but the Blue Raiders kept the shutout in the inning and found more success of their own in the top of the following inning. The second baseman led off the top of fifth and sent a deep solo shot to left centerfield.

The inning kept moving in favor of the Blue Raiders, finishing with four hits and three runs to grow their lead further, 7-3. Kyia Quigle came in to relieve Clinard and was on her best, giving up just one hit through more than two innings of action.

The Phoenix's offense came up short in her time in the circle though, being unable to add reinforcement runs, despite getting hits in the bottom of the next two frames. LWC added a run in the top of the seventh to grow their cushion to five runs, putting all the pressure on the Phoenix to walk it off or force it to extras.

Cumberland was unable to make anything happen in the inning though, dropping their second game of the day 8-3 and splitting the series, 2-2.

CU was to play yesterday in a doubleheader against Johnson University in Knoxville. They will travel to Georgetown for a four-game MSC series this weekend with doubleheaders Friday and Saturday.

Phoenix bats come alive in game two to earn Friday split

Cumberland split Friday's doubleheader with Lindsey Wilson to open the Mid-South Conference weekend falling in a pitcher's duel in game one 1-0 before run ruling the Blue Raiders in game two 9-1 at Billy Dee Ross Stadium.

The Phoenix (14-10, 2-8 MSC) suffered a tough loss in game one as they couldn't string together any hits against Lindsey Wilson starter Kayden Murray. Murray tossed a complete game shutout limiting Cumberland to just four hits and punching out 10 batters.

Cumberland put two runners on in the first as Anna Lay and Abby Chappell each drew walks, but Murray picked up two big punchouts to strand two runners.

Again in the third, the Phoenix put two runners on base. Lay led off the inning with a single, but was caught stealing at second to erase the threat. Evans drew a one-out walk, but Murray got the next two batters out.

Kaitlin Higgins gave up her first hit of the game in the third, but to no avail. The Blue Raiders then got two big extra base hits in the fourth to get on the board. Elizabeth Funk hit a triple to left-center and came in to score on a double from Kelsis Bostock for the 1-0 lead.

The run was all that Murray needed as she did the rest for Lindsey Wilson. The rest of the game Cumberland just put two runners on as they couldn't string any hits together.

Higgins suffered the loss after allowing just five hits and one run. She struck out five batters.

Game two was a different story. The bats got going early as Ashley Evans and Chappell each singled to set up a three run home run from Kenzie France for an early 3-0 lead.

Cumberland held a 3-0 lead until the fourth when the Phoenix added another run. Sara Brogdon led off the inning with a single to left. With two outs, Gracie Arnemann drew a free pass and Lay dropped a perfect bunt for a base hit to load the bases. Evans delivered an 0-2 base hit up the middle to score Brogdon and extend the lead to 4-0.

The Phoenix took advantage of a Lindsey Wilson error in the fifth. Jacey Hatfield reached on the mistake and worked her way around to third before scoring on an Abbie Peach ground out.

Cumberland again got it going in the sixth. Lay reached on an error before Chappell doubled her home with a double off the center field wall. France singled in Chappell. Hatfield hit a single to put two runners on. Brylee Bartley laced a single to left that got through the left fielders' legs and allowed the two runs to score to enforce the run rule at 9-1.

Carley Clinard picked up the win in the circle tossing a complete game. Clinard gave up seven hits and one run and struck out two.