Box Score Williamsburg, KY – Patriots fend off a Georgia Gwinnett comeback late in the game to successfully win out their opening weekend. Cumberlands won 8-6 over the third-ranked Grizzlies in nine innings.
 
A total of four scored in the eighth frame for the home team to move their deficit to two runs, posing for a late rally by the Grizzlies. In the ninth, Garrett Vathroder gave up a pair of hits to put two in scoring position. To that he responded with back-to-back strikeouts to retire the game, bringing out the bench to celebrate the victory.
 
The Patriots close their opening weekend undefeated against three ranked teams, two of which in the NAIA top-five. The Patriots defeated fourth-ranked St. Thomas 17-10 on Saturday.
 
Cumberlands started the game aggressive, plating three runs in the first. With the first two batters on safely, Bryan Leef steps up to triple to deep right, scoring the first two runs in the game. Leef scored a batter later as the Pats trade an infield groundout for another run.
 
Pedro Nazario, Kevin Rolon and Jose Rojas found a connection in the bottom of the first to put away the team's first double-play of the season in a 4-6-3. The Grizzlies would not hold off though, putting two on the board an inning later.
 
Top of the third, Bryan Leef responded with his second home run of the season on a 2-2 count. The rocket was sent over the right field wall, over 350 feet. Tallied as his 31 homerun of his Patriots career, he moves into third in the record books for the category.
 
Leef was the best hitter of the day, going 2-2 at the plate. He crossed the plate three times himself and plated four total.
 
Nathan Geissler pitched effectively for his first win of the season. In 5.2 innings of work, he allowed three hits and struck out seven. It matches a career-high game last year when he also noted seven punch outs.
 
Meanwhile, Colton Easterwood came into his first outing with two runners on with the Patriots leading 4-2 in the sixth. He struckout his first batter, claiming two more after another inning. He noted his second career save.
 
Neither team put run up until the seventh, when Leef charged three bases on Jose Rojas' double for an extra insurance run. For better measure, a walk and Leef's sacrifice fly brought in two more. Rojas singled once more to score Nazario.
 
With the 8-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth, the Patriots gave up four runs but held on for the win.
 
Over the three-game stretch to open the season, Cumberlands plated 36 runs, the most in the opening three games of the season since 2016, when the Patriots scored 39 on Brescia.
 
Cumberlands will take on Union in Barbourville on Tuesday, continuing non-conference play.
 
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