Barbourville, KY – The UC Baseball team was in action for a second straight day as they traveled northeast to take on the Bulldogs of Union College in a non-conference rivalry contest on Wednesday. As per usual, this game would turn out to be a high-scoring affair but once again it was Cumberlands who would come out ahead as they would defeat the Bulldogs by a score of 14-10. The victory extends UC's winning streak to seven and improves their overall record to 23-3 on the year.
 
UC got things going in the top of the first with two down as Raudy Martinez continued to swing the bat well for the Patriots. On a 3-2 pitch, Martinez mashed one deep over the left field fence for his sixth of the season to give Cumberlands an early 1-0 lead. Patriot starting pitcher Adrian Comas would allow a pair of singles in the bottom half of the inning, but would strand the runners on to get out of the inning.
 
In the second, a leadoff double by Bryan Leef would prove to be fruitful. Advancing to third on a flyout, Leef would come in to score on an error by Bulldogs' third baseman Nick Shumaker, allowing Pedro Nazario to reach as well and increase the lead to 2-0. A walk to Marquis Orozco would put two on for UC with just one down, but the Bulldogs would retire the next two batters to get out of the jam.
 
With two on and one down in the third, Martinez and Bryan Benz would take off on a double steal attempt. A wild throw from the Bulldogs' catcher would cost them as both players would get an extra 90 feet, scoring Martinez and bring Benz to third. A double off the bat of Leef drove Benz in to push the lead out to 4-0 for UC.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, a leadoff double in the fifth by Joe Gaines would see Comas be replaced by Wyatt Wade on the mound. A single from Shumaker would put runners on the corners with no one down. A sacrifice fly would bring in one run to cut the lead to 4-1, but the Bulldogs weren't done just yet. After a pop-out and a walk to put two on, Chris Guiles sent a 2-1 pitch deep over the left field fence for his first home run of the year, a three run shot that tied the game at four after five innings of play.
 
In the sixth, UC would manufacture themselves back into the lead. After a leadoff hit-by-pitch to Kevin Rolon, a pair of Patriots would fly out to put two away. A single from Martinez followed by another HBP to Benz would load the bases for Leef. With a full count, Leef drove the pitch deep into right field to clear the bases, giving him four RBI already on the day and pushing the Patriots back out front 7-4.
 
Martinez would put the Patriots on the board in the top of the eighth. On the 1-1 pitch, Raudy would smash his second solo home run of the game over the left field fence, his seventh of the year, to double over the Bulldogs 8-4. Nazario would also join the long ball party on the day in the inning. With two on and one down, Pedro would turn on a full count pitch and send it over the left field fence for his fourth home run of the year, extending the lead to 11-4.
 
Union would not go down quietly though. In the bottom of the eighth, three runs would come in to score with two coming in off a pair of Patriot errors, sending the game to the ninth with Cumberlands leading 11-7. Martinez would continue his hot day with another RBI single, driving in Arellano to make it a five run game for UC. Cumberlands would add two more, one on a sac fly from Nazario off a wild pitch, to give them a seven run lead with three outs remaining.
 
Nicholas Purpera would get the call from the bullpen. The Bulldogs would put runners on, loading the bases in the inning. Three runs would come across for Union, but that's all they would get as the Patriots would get the win over the Bulldogs by a final of 14-10.
 
The win would go to Wyatt Wade who threw one inning and allowed three earned runs on two hits and a walk. Union would use 11 pitchers in the contest with the loss going to Andrew Fields who pitched 1.1 innings and allowed one earned run on no hits and a walk.
 
The Patriots return to Mid-South Conference action on Friday, March 22^nd as they open up a three-game set on the road at #22 ranked Georgetown College. Game one start time is set for 4 pm.
 
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