Marion, NC – The UC Baseball team traveled to the Big League Camp complex on Lake James as they would take on the Falcons of Fisher College in a mid-week neutral site doubleheader. The Patriots would come out victorious in game one 9-8, but would stumble in game two falling by a score of 8-3. The split would push the Patriots' season record to 16-3.
 
GAME ONE: PAT BATS SHOW STRENGTH
 
Tyler Morris would get the start and the win in the game for the Patriots giving up four earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two. Wyatt Wade would enter in relief but gave up three runs on five hits in just 1.2 innings. Nicholas Purpera came in for the final four outs of the contest, allowing just one run on a pair of hits while fanning two for his first save of the season.
 
A pair of Patriots would combine for four extra-base hits and six runs batted in as UC would outlast the Falcons in game one by a score of 9-8. Scoring started for the Patriots in the second as Bryan Leef would drive in a run on a two-out triple. Rolando Rodriguez followed with a two-run home run over the left field fence for his third home run of the season, giving UC a 3-0 lead. Fisher struck for one in the third, but in the fourth, the Patriots answered again. A trio of RBI singles by Kevin Rolon, Marquis Orozco, and Raudy Martinez made it 6-1 Cumberlands.
 
The Falcons would score four in the fifth, but three more runs would cross for UC in the fifth. A two-run long ball from Leef would sail over the left field fence for his fourth home run of the year. Rodriguez followed with a solo shot of his own, his second of the game and fourth of the year, make it 9-5 Pats. Fisher would score two in the sixth and one in the seventh, but would be shut down as UC secured the win.
 
GAME TWO: EARLY INNING STRUGGLE SPELL TROUBLE
 
Fisher would strike for four runs in the top of the first inning to gather an early lead. UC would cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first as Martinez would come around to score off an error while Bryan Benz would drive in a run on an RBI double to make it 4-2 Fisher. In the second, Pedro Nazario would tally an RBI single to make it 4-3, but the Falcons would add two runs in both the fifth and seventh as insurance to earn the 8-3 win over UC.
 
Patriot starter Colton Easterwood would garner the loss giving up four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks while sitting four down on strikes. Josh Avila would throw one inning of scoreless relief. Nathan Geissler and Moise Carrasco would combine for the final three innings giving up four runs on three hits and a pair of walks while striking out four.
 
UP NEXT
 
UC returns home on Wednesday, March 13^th as they finish out the three-game series with Fisher College with a nine-inning game. First pitch is set for 4 pm.
 
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