Bowling Green, KY – UC Baseball took to the diamond at Bowling Green Ballpark on Monday morning looking to upend the Tigers of Campbellsville University to force a second MSC Tournament Championship game, but this one to be on Williamsburg. The Patriots took a mid-game lead, but a pair of late-scoring innings by the Tigers would send them over the Patriots by a final of 7-2, making UC the MSC Tournament runner-up. The loss pushes the Patriots' record to 46-8 on the year.
Transfer junior
Cody Spencer for the starting nod for Cumberlands and had a solid outing on the day. Early on though, it was CU who would be in the driver's seat as Matthew Valdez, the lead off hitter for the Tigers, would hit a drive deep to left for his 12th home run on the season to make it 1-0 Campbellsville. The score would stay 1-0 until the fourth. There, after an
Alex Dominguez' walk,
Bryan Benz would come up big with his team leading 18th long ball of the year, pushing the Patriots out front 2-1 after four.
Spencer would run into some trouble in the sixth, so UC turned to the bullpen and
Hampton Clark. Unfortunately, three runs would come across the plate in the frame, giving the Tigers a 4-2 lead. They would add three more in the seventh to send the score to 7-2, the eventual final score.
The loss would be credited to Clark, who threw one inning giving up five runs (three earned) on two hits and two walks with a strikeout. Starter Spencer would get a no-decision after five innings of work allowing a pair of runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks while sitting three on strikes. Both
Garrett Vathroder and
Nicholas Purpera would each throw an inning of relief as well.
UC now awaits the announcement of who will join them in the Williamsburg Bracket of the NAIA Opening Round Series, which begins on Monday, May 14th. Full details will be available through the week on www.cumberlandspatriots.com.
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