LEBANON, Tenn. - Big innings have hurt the Midway softball team multiple times early in the 2024 season, and such issues arose again in a non-conference doubleheader at Cumberland Saturday.

The Eagles lost the opener 7-3, then fell 8-4 in game two, with each contest turning on a big swing by Cumberland's Kenzie France.

GAME ONE

Down 3-1 early, the Eagles rallied to tie the game following a Kennadi Thompson solo home run in the fifth inning and a Mallory McDowell RBI single in the sixth.

But that was immediately followed by the Phoenix platting four run in the bottom of the sixth, three of them coming on one swing, when France hit a three-run home run.

Thompson finished the game with three hits, while Katie Rhodes also had an RBI on a single in the first inning.

GAME TWO

The Eagles took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the third, only for France to once again deliver a go-ahead three-run home run, in which she recorded the last of her eight RBIs.

Midway looked to have a chance to take some of the momentum back in the fourth with runners on second and third with only one out, only for the Phoenix to gun a Midway runner down at the plate on a sacrifice attempt.

Carly Jones drove in two runs, while Tenley Gilbert (three) and Ryann Berger (two) both had multiple hits for the 2-6 Eagles, who extend their 12-game road trip to open the season on Monday at Bryan (Tenn.) in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m.

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