Pulaski, TN- The 12^th ranked Patriots won the series after splitting today's doubleheader. UC won the first game 19-4, then lost the second game 8-1. Cumberlands move to 17-4 on the season.

Game One

Garrett DeClue got the start and his fourth win of the season, as he pitched 4.0 innings only allowing three hits for four runs, with five walks and four strikeouts. Josh Descher came in relief and pitched 1.0 innings. He had three strikeouts and two walks, with no hits or runs. Joe Bertram finished the game as he pitched 2.0 innings, only allowing one hit with three strikeouts.

Evan St Claire led the way at the plate, going 4-5 with a home run and double for seven RBIs. Max Harper also went 4-5 with a double and two RBIs. Ben Snapp had a good game as well; he went 2-5 with a double and three RBIs. Ryan Shavers and Josh Simon both added solo homeruns.

The Pats led off the game with back-to-back singles to left field from Raphy Almanzar and Muniz. Two batters later, Harper singled to centerfield to load the bases. St Claire followed with a two-RBIs double to center field for the 2-0 lead.

In UC's next at-bat, they added six runs to go up 8-0. Simon led off the inning with a solo home run to right field. Two batters later, Petrey got walked and stole second a few pitches later. Petrey would score on an RBI single from Almanzar. Then Muniz and Sujel Arias got walked to load the bases. Next, Harper stepped in the box and got an RBI from a single to center field. Two batters later, Snapp notched a bases-clearing double to give UC the 8-0 lead.

The Firehawks scored four runs in the bottom half of the inning, and the Pats answered with four runs of their own. Shavers got the inning going with a solo homer to left field. A couple of plays later, Almanzar notched a single. After an out, Arias reached on an error, while Almanzar scored. Harper followed with an RBI double to left field for the 11-4 lead. Then an RBI single from St Claire scored the final run of the inning.

In the top of the fourth, UC scored six more runs, as Simon led off with a single to right field. Shavers got hit by a pitch; then both base runners advanced on a wild pitch. Then, Petrey stepped in the box and notched a two-RBIs single to centerfield for the 14-4 lead. Almanzar reached on an error, then a sacrifice fly from Muniz gave UC the 15-4 lead.  Two batters later, Harper singled to right field; then St Claire followed with a three-run shot to right field to make it an 18-4 game.

After a couple of scoreless innings, Cumberlands tacked on one more run in the top of the sixth. Muniz led off with a double. Then three batters, St Claire singled to center field for an RBI and the 19-4 lead. The Pats held UT Southern scoreless the rest of the game to win the series.

Game Two

In game two Jake Kmiecik got the start and the loss as the Patriots through four different arms in the game. Knicko Billings finished the game with 2.1 innings pitched scattering three hits for one run and five strikeouts.

The Firehawks got one run in the first and second innings, then added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After scoring another run, the Patriots scored their first run in the seventh. St Claire would reach on a fielder's choice, then Snapp got walked. On another fielder's choice, St Claire would score from second for the run.

Later in the ninth, the Patriots would score one more run. Arias got walked to lead off the inning. Luis Alvarez came in to run for Arias. Next, Harper would get walked. After two outs, Alvarez scored on a passed ball before the game came to an end.

UC will hit the road and travel to Knoxville, TN to take on Johnson University on March 14 at 1 pm. Then they will return home next weekend for their next MSC series against Bethel University.

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