Winchester, KY – Thomas Gutierrez pitched a complete game as the 11^th-ranked Patriots opened conference play with a 10-0 win over UT-Southern in seven innings Saturday afternoon. With the win UC advances to 11-3 on the season, as Thomas Gutierrez gets his fourth win of the season.

Gutierrez pitched a complete game shutout scattering four hits and one walk with six strikeouts. Shane Jones went 2-4 with three RBIs and belted his first homer of the season, while Raphy Almanzar went 3-4 with a double and two RBIs.

After a scoreless first two innings, UC would get on the board first in the bottom of the third. After getting two on base, Almanzar hit an RBI single to center field, scoring the first run. Then the next batter, Ray Villanueva, grounded out for the first out, but would get an RBI as Sean Cheely scored. A few plays later, Almanzar  scored on a wild pitch, to take the 3-0 lead.

The Patriots added to their scoring in the fourth as Seth Benner led off with a single to left field, Jones followed that hit with a home run over the right field fence to give UC the 5-0 lead.

After a scoreless fifth inning, Candido Encarnacion drew a walk to start the sixth. On the next pitch he would steal second, then advance to third on a wild pitch. Next, Jones recorded his second hit of the day, this time toward the shortstop and was able to beat out the throw to first. Encarnacion scored on the play as well for the 6-0 lead. Two batters later, Cheely reached first base on a dropped third strike by the catcher. Almanzar then came to the plate and hit an RBI single up the middle, who was followed by an RBI single from Villanueva, giving Cumberlands the 8-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the seventh, with two outs and two runners on base. Cheely stepped to the plate and hit a two-run double to right center, for a 10-0 lead and win due to the run rule in conference play.

The Patriots are back in Winchester, KY tomorrow for a double header against UT-Southern to end the weekend. First game starts at noon.

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