Williamsburg, KY – Patriots baseball took on ninth ranked Indiana Tech on Tuesday, defeating the Warriors 4-2. The nine-inning contest was a comeback victory for UC that included a pair of timely RBIs in the sixth that set the stage for
Colton Easterwood to deliver a shutout save.
The win is the first over a top ten ranked opponent this season while the Patriots avenge last season's NAIA Opening Round losses to the Warriors. Patriots improve to 21-3 overall while Indiana Tech falls to 10-4.
The opening innings were scoreless for both squads as Bryan Jaurez got off to a hot start on the mound for UC. Indiana Tech slugged a single hit in the first, while the Patriots went hitless through the first two innings, putting three on via walks. The third inning saw Indiana Tech strike first, turning a pair of hits into a run, helped along by a sacrifice fly in between, putting the Warriors up 1-0 headed into the bottom of the third.
There would be three innings of play before the next run scored, coming by way of Indiana Tech in the top of the six. The Warriors' Christian De Santos singled before scoring on an RBI double from Ashtin Moxey, extending Tech's lead 2-0.
In the bottom of the sixth frame, the Patriots fought back, swinging for three hits and scoring a trio of runs to claim their first lead of the game.
Pedro Nazario led off the inning with a walk, advancing on the next at-bat by a base hit bunt from
Bryan Leef, putting runners on first and second.
Candido Encarnacion clubbed a sacrifice fly, putting two runners in scoring position for
Andres Rolon who laced a two-RBI single to shallow right to tie the game.
Rolando Rodriguez maintained the momentum on the next at-bat, flaring a single through the hole, advancing Rolon to second. Following a wild pitch,
Alex Dominguez chopped a grounder to short, scoring
Andres Rolon to give the Patriots the 3-2 lead.
The Patriots struck again in the bottom of the seventh, led off by a single from
Kevin Rolon who was advanced on the next at bat by a sacrifice bunt from
Ray Villanueva. Leef was intentially walked, making way for Encarnacion who cranked a double to deep left field that scored Keving Rolon, making it 4-2 UC.
Colton Easterwood came in to pitch in the eighth and shut down the Warriors, going two innings allowing just one hit as the Patriots held on to win.
Bryan Jaurez notched his best outing, going seven innings for the Patriots to pick up his second win of the season. Jaurez only allowed two runs, holding the Warriors to .269 on the plate while tallying a career high nine strikeouts.
The Patriots will take on (RV) Reinhardt tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11 at LakePoint Sports Complex in Emerson, GA. First pitch between the Patriots and the Eagles is slated for 2PM.
