OCLUMBUS, Ga. - [Watch On-Demand] British Columbia (32-23) scratched across a go-ahead run in the seventh inning and rode a complete-game effort from Carleen Murray to edge Cumberlands (Ky.) 2-1, in a game stretched across two days after a nearly 20-hour weather delay caused by severe weather.

UC struck first in the bottom of the opening inning before weather halted play Friday night. After Krystal Anne Castaneda reached base and later scored, Makenzie Henderson lined an RBI single to right field to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead. Once play resumed Saturday morning, Murray settled in and kept the Patriots in check, limiting Cumberlands to three hits and one walk while striking out five over seven innings. Murray threw 86 pitches, including 56 strikes, in the complete-game victory.

The Thunderbirds answered in the fourth inning. With Tegan Harnett aboard, Kennedy Laird delivered a game-tying RBI single up the middle to even the score at 1-1. British Columbia continued to pressure Cumberlands throughout the game with disciplined at-bats, drawing six walks. Harnett reached base four times, drawing three walks and adding a hit while scoring both Thunderbird runs.

The decisive moment came in the top of the seventh. British Columbia loaded the bases and pushed across the go-ahead run when Jessica Heutink worked a full-count walk to force in Brielle Donoghue for a 2-1 advantage. Cumberlands starter Jessica Cord took the loss after allowing two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out four over 6 2/3 innings. Murray closed the door in the bottom half, retiring Cumberlands without allowing the tying run to score and sealing the one-run victory for British Columbia.

British Columbia will play again later Saturday afternoon against the loser of Indiana Wesleyan and Madonna (Mich.), with the loser of that game being eliminated from the NAIA Softball World Series.