Williamsburg, KY- The seventh-ranked Patriots punched their ticket to Bowling Green with their second run-rule victory over Wilberforce 25-3. UC put in seven home runs to make it 112 on the season on their way to the win, with Sujel Arias, Evan St Claire, and Caden Petrey notching two apiece.

Arias went 4-5 with his two home runs for five RBIs, while St Claire went 3-4 with two homers and five RBIs. Both of Petrey's hits were home runs and he finished with five RBIs as well. Ryan Shavers had a 2-2 day with a homer and three RBIs. Max Harper was a homerun away from hitting the cycle as he went 4-6 with a triple and double. Knicko Billings got the start as he pitched 3.0 innings, only allowing two hits with three strikeouts. Zach Carlsen came in relief to get the win as he pitched 1.0 innings strikeout the side. Caleb Plummer, Jared Shelton, and Dustin Sprong all made appearances.

The Pats put up eight runs in the first inning. With one out, Charlie Muniz reached on a fielder's choice and courtesy runner Kevin Perez stole second a few pitches later. Arias singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. Then Harper notched an RBI single to take the 1-0 lead. St Claire followed with an RBI single and then stole second a few pitches later. Ben Snapp came away with an RBI single, then Josh Simon followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0. An RBI single from Shavers made it 5-0, and Petrey stepped to the plate and hit a three-run shot to left field for the 8-0 lead.

After a scoreless second inning, the Pats added four runs for the 12-0 lead. Simon led off the inning with a single to left field. Shavers and Raphy Almanzar got walked to load the bases. Then Arias notched a two-RBI single for the 10-0 lead. Harper would then get an RBI single, and a few pitches later, Arias scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-0.

In the fourth, UC tallied eight more runs, with seven coming by way of the long ball. Simon got walked to lead off the inning; then Shavers hit a two-run shot over the left field fence for the 14-0 lead. Petrey followed with a solo homer before Muniz singled through the left side two batters later. Arias then came away with a two-run shot of his own for the 17-0 lead. After a Harper triple, St Claire notched a home run to right center for the 19-0 lead. Snapp got hit by pitch, while both Simon and Shavers got walked to load the bases. Two batters later, Almanzar got an RBI hit by pitch for the 20-0 lead.

The Bulldogs were able to get two runs across in the fifth before UC answered with four runs of their own. With one out, Harper reached on a fielders choice, and St Claire followed with his second home run of the day for the 22-2 lead. Snapp reached on an error and advanced to second on a balk. Josiah Santiago got hit by a pitch and Frank Garica notched a single to load the bases. Snapp would score on a fielder's choice before Luis Alvarez notched an RBI single to right field for the 24-2 lead.

Later in the sixth, Wilberforce scored a run before Arias hit a no-doubter over the left-center fence for the 25-3 lead. The Pats held on to win and advance to Bowling Green to continue the MSC Tournament on Thursday. Before that, UC will head to Morehead, KY, to take on Morehead State on Tuesday, May 2^nd.  

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