Williamsburg, KY – The #8 Patriots swept Wilberforce, 3-0, and move to 10-2. UC took the final two games, 9-1 and 12-2, on Sunday afternoon at Doyle Buhl Stadium. Across the twin bill, the Pats recorded 19 hits with four homeruns and 11 issued walks. The defense marked 19 strikeouts, with just 10 hits and three runs allowed.

No. 8 Cumberlands Defeats Wilberforce, 9-1
In the first game of the day, Wesley Culley started on the mound, pitching a career-high of six full innings as a Patriot. He was credited with the win and moves to 1-0 after totaling six strikeouts and allowing only four hits. At the top of the third and fifth frames, the junior went three up, three down. Darian Fumero entered in relief in the top of the seventh, notching two strikeouts and a fly out to end the game.

At the plate, Evan St. Claire went 2-for-4, with two doubles, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Jose Valentin finished 2-for-4 with one double, an RBI, and a walk. Right fielder, Seth Benner, hit 1-for-1 with a two RBI triple and two walks.

The Pats hopped on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Lead-off hitter, Max Harper, was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a fielder's choice by Alec Gonzalez. Seth Benner brought both runners home on a triple to left field, earning a 2-0 lead.

At the bottom of the third, UC tacked on three more runs for the 5-0 lead. Catcher, Charlie Muniz, was walked and substituted for pinch runner Josiah Santiago. Evan St. Claire laid down a double to left center to advance the base runner, who took home on a passed ball. Harper was intentionally walked by the Bulldogs and scored, along with St. Claire on a double from Jose Valentin. Johnboy Rittenhouse collected a sacrifice fly, sending Harper across the plate.

In the top of six, Wilberforce put up their only run to shorten the gap to 5-1.

The Patriot bats came back to life in the bottom of the sixth, extending the lead to 9-1. The first two batters of the inning, Benner and Caden Petrey, were issued walks, and to load the bases, the Bulldogs' pitcher hit Muniz. St. Claire hit his second double of the game to bring two runners home. In the next at bat, Harper recorded a sacrifice fly, allowing Muniz to score. On wild pitch, St. Claire plated the final run of the game.

No. 8 Cumberlands Run-Rule the Bulldogs, 12-2
Cesar Avila was the starting pitcher and threw for five full innings, with eight strikeouts and allowing four hits. He went three up, three down in the top of the fifth. Cooper Morgan entered the game in the sixth inning, improving his record to 2-0 after accounting for three strikeouts and no hits

Evan St. Claire hit 3-for-4, recording one double, a stolen base, and one RBI. Going 2-for-3, Charlie Muniz hit his 50^th career home run. Third baseman, Caden Petrey, finished 2-for-3 knocking out two homers and earning four RBIs.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth, when Wilberforce plated their only two runs of the game, taking a 2-0 lead.

UC responded with two runs of their own to tie the score at 2-2, with two homers from Muniz and Petrey, in the bottom of four.

The Patriots scored jumped ahead off five runs on four hits, in the bottom of the sixth frame, taking the 7-2 lead. The inning began with a lead-off single from Christian Thompson, followed by a single through the left side by Muniz. On the third single of the inning, Evan St. Claire allowed Thompson to score. Petrey was intentionally walked by Wilberforce, loading the bases for Cumberlands. The next batter, Johnboy RIttenhouse launched a triple to right center to clear the bases. Pinch hitter, Jaylen Jones, was walked and Jeremy Garcia was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases. After batting around, Thompson was issued a walk, sending Rittenhouse home.

UC completed the run rule in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring five runs on three hits. Muniz was issued a walk to lead-off, and Santiago entered as a pinch runner. He was advanced on a double hit by St. Claire and scored on a passed ball. After a walk for Max Harper, Petrey tallied his second home run of the game, for three RBIs. Rittenhouse laid out his first home run of the season, ending the sweep of Wilberforce.

The #8 Patriots will be back in action for a Top-10 matchup at #6 Tennessee Wesleyan, on Tuesday February 27^th. The game will be held in Athens, TN at 2:00 p.m.

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