Williamsburg, KY – The UC Baseball team used a final inning rally in game two on Sunday to aid in bringing home a doubleheader sweep of the Buffaloes of Milligan College. UC earned a 4-1 win in game one before scoring five in the seventh inning for a 7-6 walk-off victory in game two. The pair of wins pushes the #23 ranked Patriots to 34-4 overall on the season.
Game one would be handed to
Josh Avila as he would carve through the Buffaloes with precision. The Patriots would take the lead early in the bottom of the second. After an
Andrew Ramos walk,
Bryan Benz would send a 2-1 pitch deep over the left field fence for a two-run home run, his team leading 12
th of the season, for a 2-0 score. UC added another run in the third with a RBI double from Ramos, scoring
Rolando Rodriguez to make it 3-0 Patriots.
Cumberlands would score once more in the fifth on a RBI single from
Daniel Diaz to go ahead 4-0 after five. In the sixth, Milligan would find their way to the scoreboard on a RBI single to cut the lead to three at 4-1 after six complete. After a brilliant start, Avila would be pulled as
Garrett Vathroder would come in to seal the deal in the seventh, earning his third save of the season in a scoreless inning of work to give UC the 4-1 win. Avila earned the win going six innings allowing just one run on six hits and three walks while striking out three.
Game two was much more of a thriller as
Zach Hurley would come in looking to keep his 6-0 record perfect on the year. Things looked good early as once again, the Pats would get their offense going in the bottom of the second. With one down, Ramos would go to work hitting his fifth home run of the year on a 2-2 pitch to give UC an early 1-0 lead.
Roberto Prado would add another run later in the inning with a RBI double to make it 2-0 Cumberlands.
Hurley would continue to cut through the Buffaloes' lineup, holding on to a no-hitter as he enter the fifth inning of play. There, a couple of costly errors coupled with three hits would net five runs for the Buffaloes as they would take a 5-2 lead over the Patriots while chasing Hurley from the game.
Manny Castellano would come in with two down to grab the final out of the inning as UC now trailed in the contest. Milligan added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to make it 6-2 Buffaloes.
That score would hold as UC would enter the bottom of the seventh needing four run to keep the game going or five to earn their fourth straight win in walk-off fashion. The Buffaloes would turn to their closer Connor Simpson in a non-save situation, but the Patriots would find a way to get to him. After putting the first two men on via a walk to Prado and a single by Orley Areallano, the Pats would find themselves down to their final out still trailing by four. Diaz would single again to load the bases for Ramos, who would find outfield grass for an opposite field single, scoring two to make it 6-4 Buffs. After walking Benz to reload the bases,
J.C. Santos would become the hero as he smacked a 2-2 fastball deep down the left field line for a bases clearing double to score three and lock up the 7-6 win.
Castellano would earn the win in relief, going 2.1 innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out one. Hurley would get the no-decision after 4.2 innings of work allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks while fanning six.
The Patriots return to the diamond at home on Tuesday, April 10
th as they host Union College for a single, nine-inning contest beginning at 6 pm.
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