LEBANON, Tenn. – Tessa Tomaselli’s RBI double forced extra innings in the second contest, but Cumberland stranded 18 baserunners in the doubleheader, including 11 in the second game, dropping 5-3 and 3-2 decisions to NCAA D-II Rockhurst University on Wednesday here at the CU Softball Field.

The Hawks (11-7) scored twice in the seventh inning to take the first game and plated an unearned run via the international tiebreaker rule for the game-winner in the second contest. Madison Wagner posted four hits and scored four runs in the twinbill and Alex Hill added three hits, driving in the winning run in the second game of the day.

Tomaselli collected two hits in each contest for the Bulldogs (4-10) and drove in both runs in the second game, the first on a blooper behind the third base bag in the third inning and then the RBI double down the rightfield line in the seventh that plated Vienna Benavides.

Madison Gonzalez doubled twice in the opener, plating a run with the second two-bagger, but Cumberland left seven on in the first game and 11 in the second outing, including the bases loaded in the third and sixth innings.

Kristen Abell (4-2) suffered the loss in the opener, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with one strikeout. Fellow freshman Leah Newsome (0-7) got the loss in the second game in possibly her best effort of the season, giving up two earned runs on just five hits with three strikeouts in eight innings.

Bridgette Sappington (8-3) posted two wins for the Hawks, tossing three shutout innings of relief in the opener and then going the distance in the second contest, allowing one earned run on seven hits with three walks.

Rockhurst scored in the first inning of both games, with Wagner reaching on an error to start the opener. She stole second and third and scored on a two-out single to left by Rachel Evans.

The Bulldogs took their only lead of the day with two runs in the third, starting with a leadoff single from Kassydi Montgomery. Tomaselli singled two batters later and Katelyn Nowakowski’s single to right with two outs plated Benavides. Gonzalez then doubled to leftcenter, scoring Tomaselli for a 2-1 edge.

Back-to-back doubles to start the fourth for the Hawks from Lexie Zuniga and Demi Plathe tied the game at two and Wagner’s single and stolen base to leadoff the fifth started another rally for the visitors. She went to third on a bunt by Kelsey Dean and scored on a squeeze bunt from Sarah Sebestyen for a 3-2 Rockhurst advantage.

Cumberland knotted the score again in the bottom of the fifth when Benavides reached on a bunt single, ending the day for RU starter Plathe, who gave up three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in four-plus innings.

A pair of wild pitches from Sappington allowed Benavides to reach third and Kaleigh Pearce’s two-out single to center pushed across the run and was the only hit Sappington allowed in her three innings of relief.

Nowakowski reached on an error and with two outs Giselle Delgado ripped a line drive down the rightfield line that probably would have scored two runs, but Wagner made a terrific diving catch to end the inning.

Hill and Wagner posted consecutive doubles with one out in the seventh and a passed ball moved Wagner to third, where she scored on Dean’s sacrifice fly and the 5-3 lead.

Wagner started the second game with a single to right and a stolen base. Dean’s sac bunt pushed her to third and Sebestyen executed the squeeze for the second time of the day for a 1-0 Hawks advantage after a half inning.

Lauren Cairo’s solo homer to leftcenter in the second put Rockhurst ahead, 2-0.

The Bulldogs got a run back in the third after a leadoff single from Brittany Rasmussen and a sac bunt by Brianna Gregory. Montgomery singled to center and Benavides walked, loading the bases, before Tomaselli’s bloop single over the third base bag, but pinch-hitter Sydney Broderick popped out to end the inning without any further damage.

Cumberland stranded two more runs in the fifth after singles from Gregory and Benavides. Walks to Gonzalez and Rasmussen sandwiched around a hit batter to Delgado loaded the bases for CU with one out in the sixth as well, but Gregory grounded into a fielder’s choice and Montgomery popped out to end the threat.

Benavides reached to start the seventh inning on a bad throw to first from Sappington on a bunt attempt and Tomaselli failed to get the bunt down before looping a soft liner down the rightfield line on a 2-2 pitch. The ball bounced away from Wagner into foul territory, allowing Benavides to score on the play.

Tomaselli ended up at third on the play with no outs, but Broderick grounded out, Nowakowski fouled out and Gonzalez flew out to leave the game-winning run on third.

Gabbie Boerema’s sacrifice bunt moved Cairo to third to start the eighth for Rockhurst and she scored on Hill’s two-out single to center one pitch after Rasmussen just missed ending the inning with a diving catch in foul territory in rightfield.

Cumberland is scheduled to play Shawnee State in a four-game series this weekend starting Friday, though rain in the area may push the series back a day. Stay tuned to www.GoCumberlandAthletics.com for more information on the series and all things CU softball.