Williamsburg, KY – Five runs by the Patriots in the eighth inning switched the lead for the third time of the game. The late rally fended off the Tigers and carried the Patriots to a 10-6 victory to cap their home season.
 
The Patriots battled back and forth with the Tigers through the entire game. A trio of homers by Brian Garcia and Candido Encarnacion kept the Patriots within reach through the early going. The burst of runs for the home bats led them to their third win over the Tigers this season.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, a leadoff walk by Andres Rolon and bunt over by Yariel Diaz put the Patriots within striking distance. Kevin Rolon matched to put two aboard with an infield single. Back-to-back hit by pitches score the first run of the inning, equalizing the score line.
 
Jose Rojas hit into play a chopper toward first base, pulling the fielder out of position and every Patriot advanced safely for another run scored and bases still juiced. Encarnacion followed with another batted ball dropping toward second base; the shortstop could not make a play for the out and allowed one to score. Bryan Leef charged home and slid in for a run as the ball popped out of the catcher's mitt. Rojas was the last to clear the bases on the play to put the Patriots four runs ahead.
 
Getting his second win of the season, Garrett Vathroder pitched effectively in his short time on the hill. He went one-two-three in the ninth with the final out on strikes.
 
Garcia notched his first multi-homer day of his career with long balls in back-to-back at bats to open the day. The pair of homers in the second and fourth innings came in response to two runs scored by the opposing bats. Georgetown scored in both the first and second innings with the help of sacrifice flies. Garcia led off the sixth with a double for his third hit of the contest, coming around to score as K. Rolon sacrificed a fly ball as well. Cumberlands took their first lead in the sixth, 3-2.
 
The Tigers attempted a seventh-inning stretch after a leadoff single against the Patriots. On a double hopping off the center field fence, a tremendous throw by Leef and relay by Rojas threw out a runner at the plate. The Tigers bounced back to equalize, scoring the runner on base via a single.
 
Encarnacion crushed a two-out pitch over the tall left field fence, giving Cumberlands a bump over Georgetown. However, Georgetown did the same on the other side of the inning to again equalize the game.
 
Walter Hernandez started on the hill for the Patriots, working for 7.0 innings. He tallied four strikeouts against the Tigers, instead pitching for contact and drawing several flyouts and groundouts. He was helped as well by a double-play ball in the fourth, turned by K. Rolon, Pedro Nazario and Rojas.
 
Cumberlands stranded eight runners on base, six of which in scoring position. Big hits such as A. Rolon's fourth inning triple were held from crossing the plate by the Tigers. Another opponent scored from third in the seventh to put the Patriots at a one-run deficit.
 
The Patriots return to action this weekend to close their conference season against the Shawnee State Bears. Games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Portsmouth, Ohio.
 
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