MIDWAY, Ky. - Midway softball put up a good fight against the No. 4 team in the country on Wednesday, holding Cumberlands scoreless for six straight innings in the first game of a doubleheader, then putting up an eight-run inning in game two.
Unfortunately, the Patriots proved worthy of their high ranking, winning the opener 3-0 before rallying to win the second game 14-9.
GAME ONE: CUMBERLANDS 3, MIDWAY 0
Emma McDonald singled home a run before a Midway error allowed two more to come home in the first inning. But that would be all the offense the Patriots would get against Midway starter
Breanna Beach.
Beach did scatter 10 hits but escaped a complete-game performance allowing just one earned run. She finished with two strikeouts while gritting through 123 pitches.
Though Midway didn't get any runs off Cumberlands ace Lindsey Shope, the Eagles did have their chances, leaving four runners in scoring position in the first three innings.
Fresh off a five-hit performance at Oakland City Tuesday,
Tenley Gilbert had two more hits in the opening game.
GAME TWO: CUMBERLANDS 14, MIDWAY 9
The Eagles looked to be heading for a run-run loss, as a three-run effort in the top of the fourth inning put Cumberlands ahead 7-0.
But the bottom of the inning began with a
Sierra Bittner single, which started a stretch where eight-consecutive batters reached base.
Kennadi Thompson began the scoring with a two-run single, then
Payton Baum made it 7-4 with a two-run double two batters later.
RBIs by
Ryann Berger and Bittner made it 7-6 before the second Patriot error of the inning tied the score.
Known more for hitting with power, Thompson took the small ball route to give Midway an 8-7 lead. With Berger at third, Thompson laid down a squeeze bunt, and the speedy Berger was able to slide in safely just around the tag of catcher Amber Atkins.
But the momentum would be short-lived. Back-to-back RBI singles by Aniyah White and Marquila Howell gave the Patriots the lead back, as they tacked on two more runs in the inning and outscored Midway 7-1 the rest of the way.
Thompson, Baum, Berger, Gilbert and Bittner all had two hits with Gilbert scoring twice for 10-22 Midway.
Scheduled River States Conference series with St. Mary of the Woods (Ind.) and Indiana Columbus have been moved to next week due to incoming weather concerns. The series with SMWC begins at 3 p.m. next Tuesday.
