The Patriot ladies softball season has finally come to an end as they finished this season with a record of 18-17; winning 11 and dropping six in conference play. Cumberlands will be retiring six of their best players to graduation including: Sarah Hawkins (London, KY), Julie Morton (Knoxville, TN), Lindsey Whiteman (Bardstown, KY), Andrea Ellis (Corbin, KY), Brittany Frank (Cincinnati, OH) and Erica Breitenbach (Danville, KY). However, key returnees are plentiful for next season as the ladies will return a talented class with much needed depth and experience to lead the Patriots in 2005-2006.

At the Mid-South Conference Tournament, many honors were handed out and Cumberlands was lucky enough to grab several. Junior, Sabrina McCullough (Georgetown, KY), was named to the All-Conference list as a catcher while junior, Ashley Rismiller (Maryville, TN) and freshman, Whitney Piar (Lancaster, OH) were both named to the All-Conference list for pitchers. Senior, Brittany Frank was named as an All-Conference infielder and junior, Marie Vickers (Knoxville, TN) was named an All-Conference outfielder. The Patriots, however, did not only win honors on the field, but also off the field as they brought home seven Academic All-Conference winners including; Erica Breitenbach, Erin Clancy (Powell, TN), Brittany Frank, Sabrina McCullough, Rachel Reagan (Morristown, TN), and Lindsey Whiteman.

There were several season records broken this year. Freshman, Whitney Piar had the most winning games, with a total of ten, she also set the lowest ERA with an outstanding 1.94, she allowed only 68 hits and 33 runs and 18 base on balls, Piar also tied with junior Ashley Rismiller with one shut-out a piece. Rismiller, however, held the record for strikeouts with 68. Rismiller, who was an outstanding pitcher, also held the run record for the season with 20 and nine of those were home runs, which broke last years record of six. Erin Clancy also tied the run record for the season with 20. Sabrina McCullough broke her own batting average with a new average of .389; she also holds the records for hits with 37, for doubles with eight, and for runs-batted-in with 28. Stephanie Ewing also set a record, which tied the current record with two triples for the season; she also recorded the most stolen bases for the season with 11.

Although, the record may not reflect the effort and heart put into each game, the ladies will be quick to let you know that each and every time they stepped onto the diamond, their best bat, arm, or glove was put to the test. Two of the brightest wins for the ladies came when their conference schedule began in March. Cumberland looked to be a forced to be reckoned with as they swept both Georgetown and Lambuth to go 8-0 in MSC play. Unfortunate circumstances as the bats failed to connect and the gloves failed to produce would halt the ladies from advancing in regular season play as well as in the Mid-South Conference Tournament where their season ended with losses to Campbellsville, 0-1, and Georgetown, 2-5.

Many would call this season a learning or stepping stone for the Patriot ladies, but with the outstanding returnees for next year, as well as, new recruits next season will add, watch for the ladies to make some noise in the MSC and the Region as well. The ladies will begin their action in the fall with their main season starting early in the spring of 2006.