Williamsburg, KY – The 11^th-ranked Patriots baseball remained undefeated on Monday, sweeping the double header against Milligan via a pair of walk-offs at Doyle Buhl Stadium. A walk-off base-on-balls in extra-innings pushed the Patriots past the Buffaloes 2-1 in game one, before a Milligan error in the bottom of the seventh secured the 3-2 win for UC in game two. Monday's wins continue the Patriots' impressive 2020 opening run as they move to 10-0.

Game One

The first game was a stalemate, with the Patriots scoring a run via an Candido Encarnacion RBI that scored Pedro Nazario in the first before going five innings without a baserunner. Milligan hung their lone run of the contest in the top of the fifth via an RBI single from Blake Dutton, scoring Ben Grable. The two teams remained locked at 1-1 after six complete as the Patriots would call Garrett Vathroder to the mound in relief in the top of the seventh.

Vathroder struck out two, adding a groundout to retire the side in the top of the seventh yet the Patriots would go three-up, three-down in the bottom of the frame to force extra innings. The eighth and ninth innings were a scoreless affair for both squads, with the Patriots replacing Vathroder with Bryan Juarez in the top of the ninth. Juarez shut-out the Buffalos, striking out three of four batters faced in the ninth and tenth frames. In the bottom of the tenth, the Patriots loaded the bases via a pair of walks and two errors before Nazario took ball four, advancing Noah Davis home for the game winning walk-off run.

Thomas Gutierrez got the start for UC, going six innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out seven in his debut. Vathroder's effort lasted two and a third innings and included just one hit, a pair of walks and a pair of strikeouts. Juarez's one and third inning effort earned him the win, striking out three and not allowing a hit.
 
Game Two

With one out in the bottom of the first, Nazario crushed a solo homerun to straightaway left to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead. An inning later, Rolando Rodriguez and Encarnacion both singled before a base hit from Kevin Rolon with two outs scored Encarnacion, giving UC the 2-0 lead. Milligan's first hit of the ballgame came via a two-run blast over the fence in the top of the fourth by Chance Hall that tied the game at 2-2.

Milligan threatened again in the top of the fifth, putting runners on first and third yet were stifled by Koby Silvy who closed out the inning leaving both runners stranded. In the bottom of the frame, a line drive to left from Kevin Rolon followed by a single from Villanueva put a runner in scoring position, but the Patriots would leave both stranded as
they headed into the sixth still knotted at 2-2.

The teams entered the seventh still locked at 2-2. Moise Carrasco, who relieved Silvy in the sixth, struck out two and left two runners on in the top of the frame, leaving the rest up to UC's offense. Kevin Rolon came up big in the final frame, slugging a triple to deep left field, putting the go-ahead run 90 feet away. After an infield hit gave UC runners on the corner with one out, Nazario laid a bunt down the first base line, prompting a wild throw from Milligan's first basemen in attempt to get Kevin Rolon out on third. The throw sailed into foul territory as Rolon scored the walk-off run on error, securing the 3-2 win for UC.

In his debut, junior transfer Koby Silvy went five innings, allowing a pair of hits and two walks while tallying eight strikeouts. Carrasco earned the win, hurling two innings giving up just one hit and no runs in the final frames.

Patriots baseball looks to remain undefeated tomorrow, February 18^, as they travel to Wilmore, KY to take on the Eagles of Asbury. First pitch from Cecil Zweifel Field is slated for 4 PM.

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