Courtesy: Cumberlands Sports Information
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The #6 seed University of the Cumberlands softball team opened play at the 2026 NAIA Softball World Series Thursday afternoon against #3 Southern Oregon, where an early four-run inning proved to be the difference in a 4-2 setback at the South Commons Complex. The Patriots fall to 40-20 on the season and will continue play in the elimination bracket Friday afternoon.
The Patriots wasted little time getting on the board as Ross launched a solo homer to left field to lead off the game for the 1-0 advantage. Jae Jae Phillips followed after being hit by a pitch and swiped second base to move into scoring position, but Southern Oregon escaped the inning trailing by one.
Southern Oregon threatened in the bottom of the first after a leadoff error and a walk put two runners aboard, however Cord worked out of the inning with a pair of groundball outs and a flyout to preserve the lead.
UC threatened again in the top of the second as Jenna Fabela singled to left field before Mayson Carr entered as a pinch runner. Aniyah White executed a sacrifice bunt to move Carr into scoring position and Alyssa Garcia followed with a groundout advancing her to third, but the Patriots stranded the runner to keep the score 1-0.
The Raiders responded in the bottom of the second inning by opening up the frame with a single before stringing together four more hits in the inning. Southern Oregon tied the game with an RBI bunt single before delivering an RBI single that was aided by a fielding error to push the lead to 3-1. They later added an RBI groundout to take a 4-1 lead after two innings.
Cumberlands answered in the top of the third inning as Ross reached on an error before Makenzie Henderson also reached safely to place two runners aboard. Kristen Smith followed with an RBI single to left field, advancing to second on the throw as Ross scored to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Cord settled in from there as the Patriots defense tightened up. Southern Oregon managed just two hits from the fourth inning on while UC retired the Raiders in order during both the fourth and fifth innings.
The Patriots looked to rally in the sixth inning as White ripped a double down the left field line for UC's fourth hit of the contest, but the Raiders stranded the runner to maintain the two-run advantage.
UC was unable to mount a final inning rally as Southern Oregon secured the 4-2 victory.
Jessica Cord suffered the loss after tossing a complete game, allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits while striking out two over 6.0 innings. The senior induced 12 groundball outs and held Southern Oregon scoreless over the final four innings after the Raiders big second inning.
The Patriots finished with four hits in the contest and stranded six runners on base. Phillips recorded her 14th stolen base of the season, while White tallied her eighth double of the year. Grace Ross continued her dominant season at the plate, blasting her team-leading 19th home run of the year. Kristen Smith drove in the Patriots other run, while Aniyah White and Jenna Fabela each tallied a hit in the contest.
Cumberlands returns to action Friday, May 22, at 1:00 p.m. in an elimination game against the loser of #7 College of Idaho and #10 British Columbia at the NAIA Softball World Series in Columbus, GA.