Williamsburg, KY – A number of high drama moments would fill the championship contest on Wednesday in the NAIA Opening Round Williamsburg Bracket as top-seeded Patriots would look to force the if-necessary contest on Thursday against the second-seeded Indiana Tech Warriors. Cumberlands showed a lot of grit and determination in the contest, but a late inning surge would push the Warriors out front and give them a large enough lead to hold off the Patriots 6-4 to win the Williamsburg Bracket and punch their ticket to the Avista-NAIA World Series. The loss ends UC's season with an overall record to 46-10.
 
Indiana Tech got the scoring started early in the bottom of the first as Glen McClain would single with two outs to bring Branson Dossen to the plate. He would follow with a two-run home run to give the Warriors the early 2-0 lead. They would add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out RBI single from Jake Ritson, driving in Jake DrFries to give the Warriors a 3-0 cushion.
 
Starter Seth Sorensen would record twelve straight outs against the Patriots before UC would breakout and find their way onto the scoreboard. On the first pitch of the top of the fifth, Bryan Leef would hit a solo shot over the left field fence to cut the lead to two at 3-1. The Patriots continued to rally in the top of the sixth. After a leadoff double from J.C. Santos, Pedro Nazario joined the long ball club with a two-run home run to left, tying the game at 3-3.
 
The Warriors would respond quickly in the bottom of the sixth, getting to Patriot starter Zach Hurley who was starting his second game in three days. Back-to-back doubles from Dossen and DeFries would bring a run home before Ritson would bring another run home on a safety squeeze, making it 5-3 Indiana Tech.
 
A final run would be added to the Warriors in the bottom of the seventh as Olden would single with one down. After McClain struck out, Dossen hit his second double of the game to left-center, bringing Olden home to make it 6-3 with two innings to play.
 
Cumberlands would load the bases to begin the eighth with a single from Kevin Rolon, a walk to Nazario, and a bunt single from Orley Arellano to bring Raudy Martinez to the plate. There, Indiana Tech reliever Dan Shaw would induce a 6-4-3 double play, trading a run for UC in the form of Rolon for two outs. Leef would then pop out to end the frame.
 
In the ninth, Robbie Stroub would single with two down to bring Santos to the plate. On a 2-0 pitch, Santos would give the ball a ride, but center fielder Olden would run it down on the warning track to make the final out, securing the Warrior win and their trip to Lewiston.
 
UC's Zach Hurley would get the loss as he allowed six earned runs on 11 hits while sitting four down on strikes.
 
The win would go to Seth Sorensen who went 6.2 innings allowing three earned runs on five hits and a walk while striking out ten. Tanner Perkins would pick up the two-inning save allowing no runs on two hits with one strikeout.

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