Portsmouth, Ohio – Shawnee State softball split with Cumberlands (Ky.) on Friday afternoon, falling in game one 5-0 but winning game two 6-2.
Cumberlands would score two runs with two outs to take the lead in the top of the first. Elisa Mauldin would start the two-out rally with a single down the left field line. Mauldin would get to second on a wild pitch by SSU pitcher Tatum Wise, and reach third on a single to shortstop from Hannah Stephenson. Mikayla Vires would then hit a double into the gap in left-center, driving in both Mauldin and Stephenson to give Cumberlands a 2-0 lead.
The Patriots would push across another run in the top of the second. Hayley Kilburn would double to lead off the inning, and be followed by Lexi Jones getting hit by a pitch; Jones was hit in the head, but remained in the game. With one out, Kailin Yantz would hit a grounder toward second base that would be misplayed by Ashtyn Saunders (SO/Lancaster, Ohio), loading the bases. Morgan Santos would then hit a fielder's choice by blooping a ball into left field; Kilburn would score and Jones would be thrown out at third, but Cumberlands would take a 3-0 lead.
Cumberlands would again get a run in the top of the third. Stephenson would lead off with a single, and steal second with one out. Emily Fox would then single to left field, driving in Stephenson to push the Cumberlands lead to 4-0.
The Patriots would get another run in the top of the sixth. With one out, Madison Huber would double to right field. Yantz would then double to right-center, scoring Huber to push the lead to 5-0. Cumberlands would keep Shawnee State's offense cold to hold on for the shutout win.
Sidney Pennycuff would pitch a gem to get the win, allowing no runs on two hits in seven innings, striking out three. Tatum Wise took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits in seven innings.
Cumberlands would take another run in the top of the first. Yantz would walk to lead off the game, and reach second on a bunt by Morgan Santos. Mauldin would then single up the middle to get Yantz to third, and Yantz would score when Stacy Trenholm (FR/Lancaster, Ohio) would slip and misplay the grounder, giving Cumberlands a 1-0 lead.
Shawnee State would take the lead in the bottom of the first. Michal Cunningham (SO/Wheelersburg, Ohio) would lead off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Ashtyn Saunders would then single toward the pitcher's mound, and steal second before Marisa Brown (JR/Liberty Township, Ohio)'s groundout to short. Kayla Koch (SR/Lucasville, Ohio) would then double to right-center, scoring both Cunningham and Saunders to give Shawnee State a 2-1 lead.
The Bears would then score three more runs in the bottom of the second. Mackenzie Riley (JR/Proctorville, Ohio) would single down the right field line with one out, and Megan Shupert-Martin (JR/West Portsmouth, Ohio) would the single toward shortstop to put two on with one out. Cunningham would hit a sharp grounder to third, with Vires fielding the grounder and stepping on third to force out Riley, putting two outs on the board. However, Saunders would step up with a two-out single off Vires' glove, scoring Shupert-Martin. Brown would hit a pop-up behind first base, but the ball would be dropped by Yantz, scoring Cunningham and moving Saunders to third. Brown would move to second on a wild pitch by Sydney Maynard, and Koch would single to drive in Saunders to give Shawnee State a 5-1 lead.
SSU would push across their sixth run in the bottom of the third. With one out, Haley Rawlins (SO/South Point, Ohio) would reach on an error by Vires. Riley would then single to center field, moving Rawlins over to third. Riley and Rawlins would then execute a double steal, with Rawlins scoring to give Shawnee State a 6-1 lead.
Cumberlands would get a run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Emily Fox would single up the middle, and be replaced by pinch runner Morgan Ellis. Hayley Kilburn would then double down the left field line, scoring Ellis to cut the lead to 6-2. However, Shawnee State would hold the lead despite a bases loaded jam in the fifth, winning 6-2.
McKenzie Whittaker (JR/McDermott, Ohio) got the win, allowing two runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out three. Sydney Maynard took the loss, allowing six runs on nine hits in six innings for the Patriots.
The split moves Shawnee State to 24-20 on the season, and to 11-15 in the Mid-South Conference. Cumberlands moves to 16-30, and to 9-17 in the league.
Shawnee State hosts Senior Day on Saturday, April 28 when they play their second doubleheader against Cumberlands. First pitch in game one is set for 12:00pm, with the Senior Day ceremony to precede the game.
