Kingsport, TN - The third-seed Patriots had an offensive explosion over the course of two games setting an NAIA Opening Round program record for runs scored, while advancing to the championship game of the Kingsport Bracket Wednesday afternoon.  Cumberlands opened the day with a 19-6 win over the fourth-seed Mount Vernon Nazarene, before knocking of top-seed Tennessee Wesleyan 30-8 to fend off elimination and reach a winner take all championship game set for Thursday, May 19, at 10 a.m. 

Game One: Patriots Defeat Mount Vernon 19-6

Offensively, all nine starters recorded at least a hit with Raphy Almanzar leading the way as he went 2-4 at the plate with a double and a homerun. Clay Shelton also came away with a homerun in his first at bat as five Pats, Seth Benner, Candido Encarnacion, Charlie Muniz, and Andres Rolon, tallied a double in the win. On the mound, Braxton Cottongame pitched a complete nine inning game for the win. He scattered 16 hits for six runs, only five was earned, and one strikeout.

UC notched the first two runs of the game in their first at bat. With two outs, Muniz singled to left field and Kevin Perez came in to courtesy run. Next, Sujel Arias singled through the left side and Perez advanced to third. An RBI single to left center by Ray Villanueva scored the first run to put UC ahead, while Benner followed with an RBI double to right field extended the lead to 2-0.

After a response by the Cougars in the bottom of the second, the Pats scored seven runs in the top of the third to take a 9-1 lead. With two outs, Villanueva reached on a fielders' choice and Benner followed by getting hit by a pitch. Encarnacion notched an RBI single to center field. Then Benner came around to score on a wild pitch giving the Patriots a 4-1 edge.  Rolon drew a walk before Luis Alvarez followed with an RBI single to center field for the 5-1 lead. Cheely added a two RBI single to take a 7-1 lead. Cheely would steal second a few pitches later, while Almanzar got walked. Muniz came away with a two RBI double to right field for the 9-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth Mount Vernon notched another run. UC answered with eight runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Almanzar started the rally with a solo homer to left field to make it 10-2. Muniz reached first on a dropped third strike, and Arias singled through the left side. Villanueva stepped up and singled to right field for an RBI and the 11-2 lead. Benner followed by reaching on an error and Arias scored on the play. Then a sacrifice fly by Encarnacion allowed Villanueva to score. Rolon then singled up the middle. With runners on the corners, Alvarez notched an RBI single to center field. Next, Cheely singled to right field for an RBI and the 15-2 lead. Almanzar then hit a double to left center that scored two runs for the 17-2 lead.

After a couple scoreless innings, Rolon doubled to right center and advanced to third on a wild pitch to lead off the seventh inning. Two batters later, Rolon scored on an RBI groundout by Cheely to make it 18-2.  In the bottom half of the inning the Cougars tallied two runs to make it 18-4. Then in the top of the ninth, Shelton hit a solo homer to left field for the 19-4 lead. Mount Vernon would try to make a late rally but was only able to score two runs, allowing the Pats to come away with the 19-6 victory.

Game Two: Cumberlands Defeats Tennessee Wesleyan 30-8

In game two, the offense stayed hot as the Patriots came away with 26 hits, 13 of which went for extra bases. Six different Patriots blasted homeruns, Muniz, Arias, Villanueva, Benner, Encarnacion, and Rolon. While Muniz came away with two doubles and Almanzar, Arias, Benner, and Rolon all had a double apiece. Gabriel Ramos pitched a great game as he went 7.0 innings scattering six hits and three runs, with three walks and five strikeouts. Jake Kampen came in relief and pitched 2.0 innings giving up five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

The Bulldogs opened the game up with a run then the Pats responded with eight in the bottom half of the first and never looked back. With one out, Almanzar reached first on an error, and Muniz followed with a double to right center. Arias stepped to the plate and doubled up the middle for two RBIs and the 2-1 lead. Next, Villanueva singled towards the shortstop to get runners on the corner as UC loaded the bases one batter later as Benner got hit by a pitch. Encarnacion reached on an error and two runs came home to score for the 4-1 lead. Afterwards, Rolon got walked and two batters later, Cheely singled towards the shortstop and advanced to second on an error while two more runs came across to score. With two runners still on base, Almanzar doubled down the left field line notching two RBIs for the 8-1 lead.

UC's next at bat, they tallied three more runs to make it a double digit lead. With one out, Villanueva reached on an error. Then, Benner doubled to left field for an RBI. Encarnacion reached a another error to put runners on the corners. Rolon would then double to right center for two RBIs and the 11-1 lead. Rolon then came home to score on a Bulldogs error.

The Patriots tallied two runs in the third to put them up 14-1. With two outs, Villanueva reached on a fielders' choice. Benner then hit a single to left field. Encarnacion notched a single up the middle for an RBI and the 13-1 lead. After a pitching change, Rolon singled through the right side for an RBI.

Tennessee Wesleyan was able to put up two runs in the top of the fourth, before UC answered with six runs in the bottom half of that inning. Cheely led off the inning by getting walked. Two batters later, Muniz hit his 19^th homerun of the season to make it 16-3. Two batters later, Villanueva singled to right field and Benner followed with a double to left center. Encarnacion then stepped to the plate and notched a single to right field that scored two runs. Rolon followed with a bomb that left the park to make it 20-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, Almanzar singled through the left side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Arias would get walked on the next pitch and with two on base, Villanueva hit a three run bomb to left field for the 23-3 lead.

The sixth started with a bang for the Pats as Encarnacion led off with a solo homer. Two batters later, Alvarez reached on a fielders' choice and Perez got walked. Muniz would notch his second double of the game for an RBI. With two runners still on base, Arias notched a three run no doubter to take the 28-3 lead.

In the next Patriots at bat, Benner led off with UC's sixth homerun of the game. Encarnacion followed with a single to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Alvarez got walked and Perez followed with a single to left field. With the bases loaded, Almanzar singled up the middle for an RBI and the 30-3 lead.

Tennessee Wesleyan would score five runs in the top of the eighth to make it a 30-8 game. Those turned out to be the final runs of the game. The Patriots advance to the opening round championship game for the first time in program history tomorrow at 10 am.

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