Pulaski, TN - The 12^th ranked Patriots opened this weekend's series with a 7-3 win over UT Southern to take game one. Cumberlands moved to 16-3 on the season.

Hunter Rigsby got the start and picked up his second win of the season. He pitched 6.0 innings, scattering five hits for three runs, with two walks, and 11 strikeouts. Jared Shelton came in to close and pitched 3.0 innings to get the save. Shelton had five strikeouts while not allowing a hit or run. Both Raphy Almanzar and Sujel Arias went 2-4 at the plate. While Evan St Claire and Max Harper went 2-5. One of St Claire's hits was a double to go along with his two RBIs. Ryan Shavers tallied a triple, and Charlie added a double as well.

The Patriots started the game fast as they put up three runs in the top of the first. Raphy Almanzar led off with a single towards third base. Charlie Muniz and Sujel Arias got walked to fill the bases. On a wild pitch all runners would advance, which scored the first run of the game. Then with one out Evan St Claire notched an RBI double to right field to take a 2-0 lead. A few pitches later, UC scored on another wild pitch for the 3-0 lead.

After a couple scoreless innings, the Pats next run came in the fourth inning. With one out Ryan Shavers tripled to right field. Ben Snapp then got an RBI from a groundout to take a 4-0 lead. Later in the fourth, the Firehawks answered with two runs of their own to cut the gap to 4-2.

In the fifth, UC added three runs to extend their lead. Arias led off the single to right field. Next Harper singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. An RBI single from St Claire to center field score a run. Two batters later, UC would score twice on back-to-back wild pitches for the 7-2 lead.

UT Southern scored one more run in the bottom of the sixth, but that was as close as they got as UC took game one 7-3. UC will look to win the series in tomorrow's doubleheader starting at 12:30 pm EST.

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