In conference doubleheader action Friday, the Shawnee State softball program fell by scores of 8-0 and 7-0 to Cumberlands (Ky.) in a pair of Mid-South Conference contests held in Portsmouth.

Shawnee State, who gave up three runs at the start of the game, posted a solid second frame as Ashton Rankin and Aleeya Adkins obtained base hits in the inning. However, Cumberlands ace pitcher and Hillsboro native Kaitlin White effectively pitched out of trouble as the Bears were held without a run in the frame. The Patriots posted another three-spot in the third frame to put the contest out of reach.

Kylie Ray (first) and Madison Sifford (fourth) were the additional players to obtain base hits for Shawnee State over the course of the contest.

In the second outing, Shawnee State, through effective defense and strong pitching from Sydney Spence, was able to hang right with the NAIA's 24th-ranked unit as through five innings of work, the Bears trailed just 1-0 with Spence allowing only a single hit to go along with four strikeouts during that span. However, Cumberlands opened up the second contest again as a six-run sixth proved to be too much for the Bears to overcome.

Shawnee State is scheduled to get back to action Saturday morning with a pair of Mid-South Conference contests against Cumberlands beginning at 10 a.m.

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