MAYFIELD, Ky. - It is amazing what a little confidence can do for a softball team, as the Mid-Continent University squad found out on Saturday afternoon.

Mid-Continent (5-19, 2-8) built on a double-header sweep of Harris-Stowe with a big TranSouth Athletic Conference win over the Martin Methodist RedHawks (17-18, 4-4), taking game one of a twin bill from Martin Methodist 6-1. The RedHawks did come back to win the second game 11-5, earning the split.

Martin Methodist scored first, when Veronika Fukunishi singled home Morgan May to Put Martin Methodist ahead 1-0. That was all the RedHawks could get off Mid-Continent's Lindsey Rucker, and in the second, Rucker's teammates broke through. Courtney Woods singled home Colby Smith with two out in the inning to tie the game at 1-1, then Rucker helped her own cause, doubling home Woods and Alyssa Ybarra to put the Cougars on top 3-1. Rucker struck again in the fourth with two down, tripling in Woods and Anna Maziarka to stretch the Cougars' lead to 5-1, and after a pitching change, Rucker scored on an infield single from Christina Winsett, capping the scoring at 6-1 Mid-Continent. Rucker allowed just two base runners in the final three innings of the game, earning the complete game victory, 6-1.

Rucker scattered five singles and two walks in the seven innings she pitched, allowing one earned run and striking out three to defeat Emily Robb (6-11). Rucker's 2-for-3 effort at the plate with four RBIs was the main offensive highlight for the Cougars, and Courtney Woods posted a 3-for-3 day with a double and two runs scored as well.

Mid-Continent jumped on the board early in game two, scoring three times in the first inning, but the RedHawks responded. Martin Methodist got homers from Dharianna Familia (1) and Courtney Grooms (1) in the second and third innings, respectively, as Martin Methodist scored eight unanswered runs to take an 8-3 lead into the fifth inning. Rachel Brueggeman scored an unearned tally in the fifth to pull Mid-Continent within four, and in the sixth frame, Colby Smith (1) pulled a solo homer to left, cutting the Cougars' deficit to 8-5. Martin Methodist, however, tallied three runs in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run homer from Fukunishi (3) that put the game out of reach, as Martin Methodist won it 11-5.

Rucker (4-12) took the loss, lasting just two and two-thirds innings and allowing five runs on seven hits and a walk. Caroline Ezell (3-1) earned the win for the RedHawks, scattering eight hits in seven innings of work. Maziarka and Bry Navarro each had two hit efforts for the Cougars, while Kelsey Tramel had a double and two RBIs in the game as well.

Mid-Continent will be back in action on Monday afternoon, heading to nearby McKenzie, Tenn. to take on the Lady Wildcats of Bethel University (8-13, 3-5). The double-header is scheduled for 2 p.m.