Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Williamsburg, KY - Behind consecutive saves from Garrett Vathroder, the #3 Patriots notched a sweep of Campbellsville University on Sunday at Doyle Buhl Stadium. The pair of wins improves UC to 32-5 on the season and gives them a Mid-South Conference record of 11-3.
 
Vathroder secured saves in both games to clinch the series. The save in game two gives Vathroder eight on the season and moves him up into the top-3 in the NAIA in saves. 

Offensively for Cumberlands, Ray Villanueva and Candido Encarnacion both tallied three RBI over the two-game series. In game two, Villanueva launched a three-run homer for the Pats to break the game open. Encarnacion's performance included a solo home run, his sixth of the year. 
 
Right-hander Colton Easterwood took the mound in game one and pitched six strong innings. Easterwood's day included allowing one run on just three hits while notching nine strikeouts. Walter Hernandez was credited with the win after he gave the Patriots one solid inning of work. 
 
Nathan Geissler picked up his eighth win of season in game two, now tied for most in the NAIA. In five innings of work he earned one run while delivering two strikeouts.  
 
Game One (9 Innings): Cumberlands wins, 6-4
Easterwood got off to a quick start in the first two innings, retiring the first six batters he faced. Over the stretch, he ended the first inning with two straight strikeouts to put the Tigers down 1-2-3. An inning later, Easterwood tallied two more strikeouts along with a fly ball out to keep Campbellsville off the board.
 
The Patriots got on the board first, courtesy of a solo home run from Encarnacion in the bottom of the second inning. The bomb to left field was the sixth of the season for the third baseman and gave Cumberlands the 1-0 advantage. 
 
Campbellsville tied the game in the top of the third. With two runners on, a bunt and a wild throw to first base would score the tying run from third base to nod the game at one. Cumberlands got out of the inning thanks to a special 2-5-4 double play, both runners getting caught stealing on the failed bunt attempt.
 
Tied up in the the third, UC wasted no time regaining the lead. Over Torres got things going as he slapped a single into right field. The right fielder stole a base to get around to the opposite corner. A wild pitch from the Campbellsville pitcher scored Torres and give the Patriots a 2-1 advantage. 
 
Neither team would plate a run through the fourth or fifth innings. In the top of the sixth, Campbellsville used a single to center to get a runner on first. However, Jose Rojas turned a beautiful 3-6-3 double play to get out of the inning and keep UC in the lead. Campbellsville eventually tied up the contest in the seventh with a solo home run. Campbellsville continued to threaten with two on in the seventh, however a beautiful pickoff play from Hernandez got the Patriots out of the jam.
 
The Patriots used a big seventh inning stretch to regain the lead. First aboard was Pedro Nazario with a leadoff single to center. Two Patriots on the bags, Villanueva laid down a perfect bunt which forced a wild throw for the Campbellsville pitcher, scoring two Patriots runs. With Villanueva on third, Leef cranked a double down the left field line to score Villanueva. A few pitches later, Encarnacion notched a double as well down the left field line to score Leef and give Cumberlands a 6-2 lead. 
 
In the eighth, the Tigers cut into the Pats lead. With bases loaded, a Tigers batter punched a single to third to score a runner and make it a 6-4 game. After the Patriots got out of the eighth, a 1-2-3 ninth inning from Garrett Vathroder secured a 6-4 win in game one. 
 
Game Two (7 Innings): Cumberlands wins, 5-3
Similar to game one, UC took control early. In the bottom of the first, a pair of singles from Villanueva and Torres put runners on. Rojas stepped into the batter's box and struck a double into left field to score Villanueva from third and give the Patriots a 1-0 advantage. 
 
In the top of the second, Campbellsville threatened with one runner on. Following a double to deep right-center, a Tigers base runner turned the corner at third base and headed for home. A beautiful relay throw from Nazario to Rhett Gipe at th plate threw out the runner stretching to home.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Patriots extended their lead. With Nazario and Kevin Rolon both on base, Villanueva llined a three-run homer over the fence in left field to give the Patriots a 4-0 advantage. 
 
Campbellsville got a run back in the top of the third, scoring on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, UC added some insurance. Leef used his speed to turn a potential single into a double and found himself on second. Rojas notched a single to right field for runners on the corners. On the next pitch, Encarnacion popped a hit to shallow center field that dropped in and scored Leef to extend the Pats lead to 5-1. 
 
In the top of the seventh, Campbellsville attempted to rally. A trio of singles plated the Tigers two runs. However, Vathroder came in for the second straight game and secure the save to give UC a sweep of Campbellsville. He struck out the final batter to strand a pair of Tigers on.
 
Up Next
Cumberlands hits the road for a matchup with Milligan on Tuesday April 13. Next weekend, UC heads up to Crestview Hills, KY for a Mid-South Conference series against Thomas More University. 
 
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