Lady Splitters Win Two Close Games Over The Patriots

HARROGATE, TN – Wednesday’s sweep of the visiting Patriots from the University of the Cumberlands was anything but easy for the Lady Railsplitter softball team.  The LMU women scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning of game-one to come away with a 3-0 win, while breaking a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning of game-two for the 6-5 win.   

LMU fans knew they were in for a trying couple of games when the Lady Railsplitter bats weren’t easily heard in the first game.  University of the Cumberlands pitcher Whitney Piar (3-7) held the Lady Splitters to only four hits, but gave up three runs late in the game that turned out to be the fatal blows to the Patriot cause.

Lincoln Memorial pitcher Brittney Walker (Ooltewah, TN) didn’t make things any easier for U of C by allowing no runs, only one hit and striking out seven Patriot batters while moving her overall record to 14-5 on the year.

Game two proved to be even more interesting.  LMU took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third inning and then tacked on two more runs in the fourth and sixth innings to extend the margin to 5-2.  With the Railsplitters looking as though they were going to cruise to victory, the Patriots came storming back in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs to tie things at 5-5.

With one out and runners on, Lady Railsplitter pitcher Kelly Click (Ashland, OH) who had pitched the entire game up to that point, was moved to right field and teammate and fellow pitcher Jessica Stewart (Loudon, TN) came moved in from the outfield to relieve.  Stewart managed to kill the Patriot rally and got LMU ready to go back to the plate in the bottom of the seventh.

LMU’s Chelsie McNew (Knoxville, TN) led off with a single up the middle and then Tiffany Evans (Bowling Green, KY) hit another single to right center to put runners at first and second.  Following a U of C pitching change, LMU’s Amanda Wampler (Powell, TN) walked and the bases were loaded.

Following an out in centerfield by LMU’s Gina Grace (Placerville, CA), Lady Splitter catcher Danielle Cooper (Concord, NH) singled to the pitcher and picked up the game winning RBI when McNew scored from third to help LMU win the game 6-5.  Jessica Stewart got the win, improving to 7-7 overall, while the Lady Railsplitters moved to 22-18.

Lincoln Memorial 3, Cumberlands 0 (Mar 29, 2006 at Harrogate, TN) (Game 1)
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Cumberlands......... 000 000 0 -  0  1  0      (10-13)
Lincoln Memorial.... 000 003 X -  3  4  0      (21-18)
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Pitchers: Cumberlands - Whitney Piar. Lincoln Memorial - Brittney Walker.
Win-Brittney Walker(14-5)  Loss-Whitney Piar(3-7)  T-1:13  A-110

Lincoln Memorial 6, Cumberlands 5 (Mar 29, 2006 at Harrogate, TN) (Game 2)
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Cumberlands......... 002 000 3 -  5 10  0      (10-14)
Lincoln Memorial.... 012 101 1 -  6 14  1      (22-18)
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Pitchers: Cumberlands - Ashley Rismiller; Lauren Collier(7). Lincoln Memorial - Kelly Click;
Jessica Stewart(7).
Win-Jessica Stewart(7-7)  Loss-Ashley Rismiller(7-4)  T-1:58  A-110
HR LMU - Brittney Walker (6).


A. Rismiller faced 2 batters in the 7th.