Williamsburg, KY – Second-seed University of the Cumberlands recorded at least three runs in five innings to defeat fifth-seed Marian 15-4 in the elimination bracket of the Williamsburg Bracket of the NAIA Baseball Opening Round Monday night at Doyle Buhl Stadium.  With the win Patriots improve to 47-10, while the Knights move to 24-27.

Marian struck first plating a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning.  Leo Lopez led off the inning with a double down the leftfield line.  Two batters later, Cody Earl hit an RBI single to center scoring Lopez to give the Knights an early 1-0 lead.  Marian loaded the bases later in the inning and Earl scored on a passed ball to give Marian a 2-0 lead.

Cumberlands responded in the top of the second as Alex Dominguez and Bryan Benz both reached based to start the inning.  Two batters later J.C. Santos hit an RBI single up the middle scoring Dominguez to cut the deficit to 2-1.  Later in the inning, Reed Spata drilled a two-run double down the line and scored on a Roberto Prado RBI single to put UC ahead 4-2.

A two-run homerun to left by Lopez evened the score 4-4 in the bottom of the second. 

Zach Hurley found his grove from that point as he pitched five straight scoreless innings only allowing one hit to limit the Knights offensive.

The Patriots retook the lead in the fifth inning as Raudy Martinez and Alex Dominguz both reached base with one-outs.  Bryan Benz followed with a bases clearing triple to give Cumberlands a 6-4 lead.  Benz would later score on an Andrew Ramos sac fly to move the score to 7-4. 

Benz added a three-run homer in the sixth, while Martinez smashed a grand slam in the seventh to give the Patriots a 15-4 lead.

Leading the way for UC was Benz, who went 2-3 with five RBI and four runs scored.  Martinez finished 2-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Dominguez went 3-5 with a pair of runs scored.  Hurley (9-0) earned the win pitching 7.0 innings, scattering five hits and four runs, while striking out nine.

Lopez led the way for the Knights going 2-3 with a walk, two RBI and a pair of run scored. Kole Aping (1-3) takes the loss after pitching 0.1 innings surrendering three hits and three earned runs.

Cumberlands advances to the next round where they will face top-seed Bryan in an elimination game tomorrow at 3 p.m. Marian is eliminated from the NAIA Championship Opening Round.