Williamsburg, KY – The No. 8 Patriots move to 5-1 after clinching their series against Shawnee State, winning both games of their double-header on Thursday evening at Doyle Buhl Stadium. In the first seven inning game, UC scored 21 runs and holding the Bears to just three. To secure their second win of the day, Cumberlands notched 16 runs on 16 hits. Patriots' offense tallied two grand slams for a total of eight home runs.
No. 8 Patriots Soar Past the Bears, 21-3
Knicko Billings started on the mound, he threw for 3.2 innings and accounted for three strikeouts and three runs allowed.
Cooper Morgan (1-0) followed in relief for two innings, with five strikeouts and holding the Bears to no hits or runs, securing his first win for the Patriots.
Jose Valentin went 4-for-4 at the plate, recording three back-to-back home runs, holding him responsible for nine RBIs and four runs scored.
Alec Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a double and a single.
Shawnee State scored early in the top of the first, 1-0.
UC responded in the bottom of the first after the first three batters,
Christian Thompson, Charlie Muniz, and
Evan St. Claire were walked. With bases loaded,
Max Harper was hit by a pitch to bring home the first run of the inning. In the 5-hole,
Jose Valentin launched the ball over the left field fence for a grand slam to take the 5-1 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Cumberlands added three more runs, 8-1. After St. Claire and Harper were walked, Valentin hit another homer to left field, bringing in three RBIs.
The Bears tacked one to their score on a single brought home by a ground-out double, 8-2.
The Pats took one more run in the bottom of the third inning. Gonzalez crossed the plate after reaching on a single and was able to score on a single by St. Claire.
Shawnee State shortened the gap to 9-3 off a walked batter and double.
Two more runs were collected by UC in the bottom of four. Valentin tallied his third home run of the night, a solo shot to left center.
Ben Snapp was walked, stole second, and scored on a
Caden Petrey single, making the score 11-3
The Patriots' offense took off in the bottom of the fifth inning, marking seven runs on seven hits for a score of 18-3. It began with a solo homer by Charlie Muniz, a walk to St. Claire, and a single for Harper. The base runners advanced to scoring position on a pass ball, and St. Claire went home when Valentin recorded his fourth hit of the night.
Zamaurion Hatcher allowed Harper to score with a single to center field and Valentin crossed the plate on a ground-out.
Seth Benner entered as a pinch hitter and sent one over the center field wall, tallying a three RBI home run.
UC's lead was extended with three runs in the bottom of six, 21-3. The first batter of the frame,
Canaan Browning was walked. To load the bases, Hatcher was walked, and
Jaylen Jones was hit by a pitch. One run scored when
Luis Alvarez was also walked.
Caden Petrey and
Christian Thompson both recorded sacrifice flies to put the last two runs of the game on the board.
Cumberlands pitchers
Cooper Morgan and
Darian Fumero combined for no runs allowed and seven strikeouts to hold the Bears' offense.
No. 8 Patriots Stomp Shawnee State, 16-7
The Patriots were led by leftfielder
Christian Thompson, who hit 3-for-4, collecting four runs and two RBIs.
Max Harper went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Shortstop
Alec Gonzalez hit 2-for-3 and had five RBIs.
Jake Kmiecik was credited with the win, pitching 2.2 innings with two strikeouts and allowing just one hit.
Shawnee was the first to score with one run in the top of the first and five in the top of three.
UC jumped on the board in the bottom of the third inning and tied the score at 6-6. Thompson doubled down the left field line and advanced to second when Muniz was hit by a pitch. St. Claire and Harper followed with back-to-back RBI singles and Valentin recorded an RBI walk.
Alec Gonzalez knocked a grand slam out to left field, recording four RBIs.
In the bottom of the fourth, Cumberlands added one run to their score on a sacrifice fly from Gonzalez.
Two more runs were put on the board in the bottom of the fifth, extending the Patriot lead to 9-6. Petrey homered to left center and Thompson crossed the plate on a double to left center from St. Claire.
With five runs on three hits, UC added to their score, 14-7, in the sixth frame. The first three batters were given free bases on two walks and a hit batter, enabling a Petrey RBI single. On a double from Thompson, two runners were able to cross the plate. Muniz notched a sacrifice fly, followed by an RBI single by Harper.
The Patriots' last two runs were earned in the bottom of the eight inning, for a final score of 16-7. Muniz tallied his second homer of the night for two RBIs.
UC will play Shawnee State in the final game of the series on February 16th at 1 p.m. in Williamsburg, KY.
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