Williamsburg, KY - A pair of outstanding pitching performances helped the #3 Patriots to their second conference sweep of the season. Cumberlands took game one 12-1 at Doyle Buhl Stadium on Saturday before coming out on top in a 2-1 game two battle. The victories improved UC to 9-3 in MSC conference play and give them a 29-5 record on the season.
In game one,
Thomas Gutierrez pitched six solid innings for the Patriots, only giving up one run on five hits while recording four strikeouts. With the win, Gutierrez moves to 7-1 on the season.
Nathan Geissler also improved to 7-1 on the year with one run given up and five dropped on strikes in game two.
Brian Garcia exploded for five RBI in game one as he recorded a three-run home run as well as a double. The home run for Garcia gives him a total of four on the season, his second of the series.
Jose Rojas stayed hot as the redshirt senior turned in four RBI over the two games.
Game One: Cumberlands wins, 12-1
Pikeville scored on a two-out rally in the first inning, taking advantage of back-to-back doubles. The one-run lead would be short lived however, and go down as the only lead of the entire series for the Bears.
Cumberlands wasted no time answering the early Pikeville run. In the bottom side,
Ray Villanueva got the day started for UC with a leadoff single. Following a stolen base,
Over Torres notched a single into shallow right to score Villanueva. After a pair of walks loaded the bases for Garcia; the Florida product stepped into the batter's box and delivered a two-run double down the left field line to give UC the 3-1 lead.
The Patriots were quick to add to their lead an inning later.
Kevin Rolon secured a leadoff double before Villanueva launched a booming RBI triple to deep right field. Torres slapped a single to shallow center field, Villanueva scored again from third base. Following a stolen base and an error to Pikeville, Torres found himself on third base. Rojas notched an RBI groundout to score Torres from third and give the Patriots a commanding 6-1 advantage by inning's end.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Patriots broke the game open even further. K. Rolon led off the inning with an infield single and found himself on third base after a pair of stolen bases. After walks to Villanueva and Torres, the bases were loaded for
Bryan Leef. The senior notched a sacrifice fly to deep right-center field to advance the runners. Rojas would single to shallow right field to score two runners and give the Patriots a 9-1 lead. With
Candido Encarnacion and Rojas on base, Garcia cranked a three-run blast over the fence in right field to give Cumberlands a 12-1 lead.
Hector Abreu recorded a strikeout in the top of the seventh, holding the Bears at bay. UC would hang on for a 12-1 victory in game one.
Game Two: Cumberlands wins, 2-1
It was not untill the bottom of the third that the Patriots took control. K. Rolon continued his success as the leadoff man, beginning the inning with a walk and moved to second base after a Villanueva groundout. Leef singled to score his teammate and give Cumberlands the all-important first run of the game. After advancing on the Leef single, Torres threatened on third and scored on Rojas' sacrifice fly to center field.
Pikeville battled to get on the board in the top of the sixth; a pair of Bears singled to make it a one run game heading to the seventh.
Garrett Vathroder took the mound and notched two strikeouts to get the save and secure the series sweep for Cumberlands.
Up Next
The Patriots will return to action on Wednesday, April 7 as they host Midway University. On Saturday April 10, UC will face-off in a home conference series against Campbellsville University.
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