Williamsburg, KY– Patriots open the MSC tournament with a 10-0 run rule over the Firehawks on Friday evening. Thomas Gutierrez threw his third complete game shutout of the season and Andres Rolon hit a walk off single to push UC's record to 39-13.

Gutierrez moved his record to 9-1 as he pitched 7.0 innings only allowing three hits, two walks, with seven strikeouts. Rolon led the Pats offense today going 3-3 with a homerun and four RBIs. Charlie Muniz and Sujel Arias both put in good days at the plate, as Muniz went 3-4 and Arias went 2-4  for two doubles.

After three scoreless innings, Gutierrez notched back-to-back strikeouts to get out the top of the fourth. UC would then get their bats going as they put up three runs to take the lead. Arias led of with a double down the left field line. Then a sacrifice fly by Ray Villanueva and another by Seth Benner brought home the first run of the game. Candido Encarnacion followed by getting walked, and Rolon stepped to the plate and hit a no doubt homerun over the right field fence for the 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Pats came away with five runs to make it an 8-0 game. Arias led off with another double this time down the right field line. Two batters later Benner got hit by a pitch, and Encarnacion notched an RBI single up the middle for the 4-0 lead. Rolon followed with an RBI single to right field to make it 5-0. After a pitching change, Ryan Shavers came into pinch hit and hit a two RBI double to right field to take the 7-0 lead. Sean Cheely reached first on a walk and stole second a few pitches later. After a single towards third base from Raphy Almanzar, Muniz singled to left field for an RBI and the 8-0 lead.

After holding UT Southern scoreless in the top of the seventh, UC knew all they needed to do was score two more runs to get the run rule win. Villanueva started the Patriots at bat with a double to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Benner would get hit by a pitch and Kevin Perez came into pinch run. Encarnacion hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left field to take the 9-0 lead. Then Rolon came away with an RBI walk off single up the middle to get the 10-0 run rule.

Cumberlands and UT Southern is back in action tomorrow Saturday April 30^th at 2 pm to play game two of this best of three series. If necessary, there will be a second game 30 minutes after the first game.

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