Softball Comeback Falls Short in Split Against KCU

Athens, Tenn.- The softball team returned to Athens Regional Park for their final Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) series of the regular season. The team hosted the Kentucky Christian University Lady Knights in a doubleheader. 

Game One: 

The first game of the doubleheader did not see a run score until the fifth inning. Three runs came across in the fifth inning while a fourth came across in the sixth. All the runs went towards TWU's score. 

Kaley Bradley recorded the first hit of the inning with a single to right field. Hallie DeArman followed with a single to left field. An error on Caroline Moore's contact scored both Bradley and pinch-runner Gracee Roberts and gave Moore the time to get to third. Destiny Painter's bunt single allowed Moore to score, giving the Lady Bulldogs a 3-0 lead after the fifth inning. 

In the sixth inning, Courtney Sneed was standing on first after a single to center field. Malyssa Jeter belted a ball which resulted in a triple to make Sneed the fourth run and final run of the game, helping the team win the game 4-0. 

Cheyenne Strong pitched the complete game, striking out nine batters while not surrendering a run. 

Game Two: 

Both teams scored in the first inning. Kentucky Christian scored two and Tennessee Wesleyan matched it with two runs of their own. A hit by pitch got Moore to first and a stolen base put the runner into scoring position at second. Painter's fielder's choice put runners on the corners as Moore moved to third. A single by Emily Mikkola brought the first run on board for the home team with Moore scoring. Standing on third after the previous single, Painter scored on a Sneed sacrifice fly to tie the game 2-2 after the first inning. 

The third and fourth innings saw the Lady Bulldogs score two runs in each inning. Painter opened the third inning with a triple and scored on Mikkola's single to break the tie. After a bunt single by Taylor Penning and two fly outs got Mikkola to third, Loryn Sherwood singled to left field to bring Mikkola across home plate and give the team a 4-2 lead. 

In the foruth inning, Moore reached first on an error and beat the throw to third off Penning's single. Penning advanced to second on the throw to third. Sneed smacked a ball to deep center field that resulted in a triple, scoring both Moore and Penning to make the lead 6-2 after the fourth inning. Over the next three innings, the game changed as the opponents score ten runs to move ahead 12-6.  

The team responded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Sneed opened the inning with a single and moved to second on an error. A groundout moved Sneed to second and the bases became loaded shortly after after back-to-back walks by DeArman and Mackenzie Baldwin. A single up the middle by Moore advanced every runner a base and kept the bases loaded, scoring Sneed as she was forced home. Painter came next to the plate and hit a bases-clearing triple to cut the lead down to run. The third out of the inning was recorded before the team could complete the comeback, falling in the game 12-10. 

Painter finished two triples and three RBIs in the game. Sneed also added three RBIs. Baylie Davis had four strikeouts on the mound.  

The team completes the regular season on Wednesday when they host No. 3 University of the Cumberlands on Senior Day. The game between the two teams is set to begin at 3:00 p.m.