MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (March 14, 2007)---The Milligan College Lady Buffs’ softball team fell to the Lady Patriots of University of the Cumblerlands in both games of a non-conference double-header by scores of 4-5 and 1-8.  Milligan’s squad moves to 10-12, while University of the Cumberlands stands at 11-7.

Game 1 Milligan 4 Cumberlands 5

Laken Stewart (Pennington Gap, Va.) delivered a one-out double in the first inning, and then she moved to third following a wild pitch. A walk to Jessica Blevins (Elizabethton, Tenn.) put runners on the corners and Brooke Dowdy (Bradenton, Fla.) (reached safely on a fielder’s choice which allowed Stewart to score. On the fielder’s choice, the Lady Patriots defense was unable to record an out. Another fielder’s choice from Leah White (Gray, Tenn.) and Megan Aldridge (Johnson City, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Whitney Piar then hit Mallory Tincher (Jacksonville, Fla.) to force Blevins in to score to put Milligan in front 2-0.

The Lady Patriots would answer with a scoring spurt of four runs in the second inning to bring the score to 2-4. University of the Cumberlands added another run when Piar drove in Lara Jackson with a single in the third inning.

Dowdy helped herself with two RBIs in the fourth inning to cut the deficit down to 4-5.

Milligan had their chances at capturing the lead throughout the game. The Lady Buffs left 11 runners stranded, which included eight in scoring position.

For Milligan, Leah Fritts (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Stewart each went 2-for-4 with a run scored apiece.

Piar took the win for University of the Cumberlands, she gave up four runs from eight hits over seven innings. She also went 2-for-4 with two singles and one run scored.

Dowdy suffered the loss on the mound for Milligan. She allowed five runs on eight hits and she recorded four strikeouts. 

Game 2  Milligan 1 Cumberlands 8

Milligan grabbed an early lead when Heather Poindexter (Germantown, N.C.) hit a two-out double to drive in Tincher.

Cumberlands gained the lead in the third inning behind a Whitney Kirby double that allowed Jessica Taulbee and Samantha Kooch to score, to give the Lady Patriots a 2-1 lead. Six more Lady Patriot runs in the seventh inning essentially put the game out of Milligan’s reach.

To go with Poindexter’s RBI single, Tincher and Aldridge added doubles, while Fritts provided Milligan’s other hit.

University of the Cumberlands’ Kirby went 3-for-4 with a double and a run. Jackson, Kooch and Taulbee all went 2-for-4 in the win.

Milligan’s Jennifer Wise (Clermont, Fla.) gave up eight runs on 14 hits in the loss.

Mindy Breitholle pitched a complete game in the Lady Patriot’s victory. She gave up one run on four hits with eight strikeouts.

Milligan will have their Appalachian Athletic Conference opener on Saturday, Mar. 17, as they take on King College in Bristol, Tenn. at 1 p.m.