COLUMBIA, S.C. - The CIU softball team took the field on Saturday morning after game times for their doubleheader with Truett McConnell were moved up due to weather concerns. However, CIU would play in sunny 80-degree weather, hosting  Truett McConnell Bears. The Rams look to a bright future on Saturday, after CIU athletics successfully fundraised over $500,000 for stadium lights to be installed at both the Softball field and the adjacent Miller Baseball field this summer. The Rams looked to battle the Bears after narrowly losing two games to No. 8 Reinhardt on Tuesday. The Rams wouldn't be able to find the same grove on Saturday, as they dropped both games to conference foe Truett McConnell. 

Game One

• CIU got off to a hot start, scoring the first runs of the games in the bottom of the first. Shannon Patton sent both Robyn Andrews and Haylee Wilkerson home with a two-run RBI single to shallow center, gaining a 2-0 lead. 
• The Bears had an answer in the top of the 2nd, however, as TMU batted in four runs, off three hits and an error. 
• TMU kept up the momentum in the top of the 3rd, scoring three runs off of a dropped fly ball by Tanaya Ellis and a wild throw to 3rd by Haylee Wilkerson to go up 7-2 on CIU. 
• The Rams cut the lead to four in the third, scoring off of a RBI single from Heaven Zamora. 
• The Bears kept the Rams at arm's length, scoring another run from a sacrifice fly in the top of the 4th. 
• The Rams attempted to battle back but were denied in the 5th inning, as the bears went on to run rule the Rams, scoring six runs, off of four hits and two errors, giving Truett McConnell the 14-3 win. 

Game Two 

• Truett McConnell hopped back into action in the second game, scoring two runs in the first inning of a two-run homer by Briley Lawson. 
• The Bears continued their scoring in the 2nd, with two more runs from an RBI single from Ellie Abner and an error from CIU first basemen Shannon Patton, giving TMU a 4-0 lead. 
• The top of the third saw TMU score another run, this time from Lauren Barrett, hitting an RBI single to shallow right field. 
• The Bears led CIU 5-0, heading into the top of the 6th, as the Rams aimed to keep battling TMU. The Bears bats came alive, however, scoring four runs off of three hits and an error, giving TMU a 9-0 lead, and a victory due to run rule. 

Key Players 

• Shannon Patton registered one hit and two RBIs in the first game for CIU. 
• Heaven Zamora also batted in a run in the first game. 

Up Next: The Rams travel to Milligan College on Wednesday at 5 & 7 PM.