WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. - The Coastal Georgia softball team saw their 2024 season come to an end on Thursday morning as they dropped the first game of championship Thursday to the University of the Cumberlands Patriots by a final of 7-1. 

The Mariners (39-14) hung tall with the fourth ranked team in the country for six innings but came up just short in an upset bid. 

The Mariners started the game by getting a pair of runners on with a single from Bryce Peacock and a walk from Rily Andrews, but they were held off the scoreboard. The Patriots (48-7) took advantage right away in the bottom half, taking an early 2-0 lead. A one out walk to Gainer put the speedy outfielder on first as she promptly stole second and came around to score one batter later on a single from Keatts. She then stole second as well and came in to score on a bloop single by Atkins, and after one inning of play, Cumberlands held the early advantage. 

The Mariners were retired in order in the second, and Peacock worked around back-to-back singles in the bottom half to keep the deficit at two going into the third. 

In the third, CCGA put the pressure on Radford once again. With two outs in the inning, Rori Rhodes and Peacock went back-to-back with singles, but once again were stranded as a groundout ended the inning. A leadoff bunt single from the Patriots ended up being harmless as the game progressed to the fourth with the same score. 

Rylee Mills started the fourth getting hit by a pitch, but two straight fielder's choices never allowed a rally to commence. Peacock had found her footing in the circle and retired the Patriots in order in the bottom half and the game remained 2-0 in favor of Cumberlands going to the fifth. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots added on to their lead. Another bunt single from Gainer allowed her to steal second and come around to score on another RBI single from Keatts. Peacock got Atkins to fly out to end the inning, but the Patriots now led 3-0 going into the sixth. 

The Mariners refused to lay down and quit as they finally cracked the scoreboard in the sixth. Peacock started the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. Two batters later, Mackenzie Southerland drove Peacock in with a single into right field, cutting the deficit to 3-1. A groundout ended the inning, but the Mariners were right back into the game. 

In the bottom half, the Patriots broke the game wide open with four runs on three hits, with the big blow being a three run homerun from Gainer. After the final out was recorded, the Patriots led 7-1 going to the seventh. 

In the seventh the deficit proved too much to overcome as the Mariners were retired in order to end the game and their 2024 season. 

Peacock finished her collegiate career with a 3-3 game at the plate scoring the lone run of the afternoon, while Rhodes and Southerland recorded the only two other hits. Peacock also went 5.2 innings in the circle allowing nine hits and five runs on one walk and one strikeout. 

The Mariners end their 2024 season with a 39-14 record and a 15-6 Sun Conference record as well as a regular season conference championship.