Courtesy: Cumberlands Sports Information

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Patriots softball team saw some incredible defensive plays, however, fell to third-seed Southern Oregon 3-0 in the elimination game of the NAIA World Series Saturday morning.  Cumberlands concludes their season with a 40-9 record that featured winning the MSC Regular Season and Tournament titles as well as making their third straight trip to the World Series.

Lindsey Shope pitched 6.1 innings scattering seven hits and three runs to close out the year with a 23-5 record.  Jessica Cord tossed 0.2 innings and didn't allow a hit.   Emma McDonald and Maquila Howell each notched a hit on the day.

The Patriots infield forced a pair of field choices in the top of the first inning however Southern Oregon plated an unearned run to take the 1-0 lead.

UC looked to respond in the bottom of the first as McDonald notched a one-out single to left but couldn't advance as Southern Oregon tallied a pair of strikeouts.

Shope settled in hitting her locations over the next several innings keeping the score 1-0 entering the fifth inning.  In the top of the fifth Jade Gainer made a jumping grab off a Kerling line drive to keep it a one-run game.

In the top of the sixth, the Patriots notched a 4-6-3 double play to get out of the inning.  In the bottom of the sixth, Howell recorded an infield single and advanced to single on an error to give UC a runner in scoring position. 

That was the closest Cumberlands came as the Raiders got out of the inning and tacked on two runs in the seventh for the 3-0 final.

The Patriots were the second team in Mid-South Conference history to go undefeated in conference play. UC had eight MSC All-Conference selections, including MSC Player of the Year Carly Oliver and MSC Pitcher of the Year Lindsey Shope.