PULASKI, Tenn. – Tennessee Southern continued its strong start to the 2026 season Saturday afternoon, sweeping Cumberland in a home twin bill at Royce Hughes Field. With the pair of victories, the Firehawks improved to 8-0, closing in on the best start in the modern era when the 2007 squad opened the season 11-0.
Game One – Tennessee Southern 3, Cumberland 0
The opener developed into a pitcher's duel before the Firehawks delivered late.
Stella Gilbreath set the tone in the circle, working around traffic in the second and fourth innings and stranding runners with timely strikeouts and routine fly balls. Cumberland threatened early, but Gilbreath kept the contest scoreless through four innings.
UT Southern finally broke through in the fifth. Hannah Lindsey drew a walk to ignite the rally, and Emory Hall followed with a single through the right side. Haley McDaniel then lined a single up the middle to plate Lindsey and give the Firehawks a 1–0 advantage.
The Firehawks added insurance in the sixth. Alaina Grace King singled to third to begin the inning, and after Lindsey worked another walk, Hall delivered again with a two-RBI single to right center, scoring King and pinch runner Gilbreath to extend the lead to 3–0.
Hall finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while King collected two hits and scored a run. McDaniel drove in the first run of the game, and Lindsey reached base twice and scored.
Gilbreath completed the shutout, scattering three hits and striking out five in a complete-game effort to move to 4-0 on the season.
Game Two – Tennessee Southern 8, Cumberland 0 (5 innings)
The Firehawks wasted little time taking control in the nightcap.
In the second inning, Kurstin Warrick singled to right to start the rally, and Lindsey followed with a base hit. Hall lined a single to center to load the bases before Lauren Pettie drove in the first run with a single up the middle. Moments later, Mikayla McCain broke the game open with a four-run home run to right center, pushing the lead to 5–0.
UT Southern added three more runs in the fourth. McCain singled to start the inning before King blasted a two-run homer to left center. After Evi Edwards drew a walk and Taylor Gilreath entered as a pinch runner, Gilreath stole second and later scored on Warrick's RBI single to right center, stretching the advantage to 8–0.
King finished with a home run and two RBIs, while McCain went 2-for-2 with four RBIs and a homer. Warrick added two hits and an RBI, and Pettie drove in a run. Hall recorded a hit and was active on the bases.
In the circle, Ella Singletary was dominant. Singletary retired the first 12 batters she faced and carried a perfect game into the fifth inning before allowing a single. She closed out the one-hit shutout with five strikeouts over five innings to improve to 4-0.
Tennessee Southern returns to action on Friday, February 27, traveling to Crowley's Ridge for its next road matchup.
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