McKenzie, TN – No. 5 UC Baseball (23-4) run-ruled Bethel (19-6), 12-1, in game three to sweep their Mid-South Conference opener, on Sunday afternoon at Wildcat Park. Charlie Muñiz hit his 59
th home run, breaking the Patriot record for career home runs. Cumberlands combined for 37 hits across the three games, outscoring the Wildcats 31-12.
On the mound,
Wesley Culley took the start and moves to 3-0 after completing seven full innings for the first time this season. The junior recorded four strikeouts and allowed only three hits and one run.
With two homers this game, Charlie Muñiz tied and broke the all-time record for homers, totaling 59 in his Patriot career to beat the previous record of 58. Muñiz, finished 4-for-5 with two long balls, four RBIs, and plated three runs.
Christian Thompson hit 3-for-5 with two RBI singles.
The Wildcats were first to score, leading 1-0 from an RBI single, in the bottom of one.
Patriot bats came alive, and the hitters scored eight runs off six hits to lead, 8-1, in the top of the third frame. Charlie Muñiz put UC on the board with a two-run homer. To load the bases,
Evan St. Claire singled and two consecutive batters,
Johnboy Rittenhouse and
Caden Petrey, were hit by pitches.
Ben Snapp was issued an RBI walk to bring in one run.
Alec Gonzalez singled, and
Trent Prokes laid down a double to plate two runs each.
After two scoreless innings, Muñiz launched his record-breaking home run in the top of six, for a score of 9-1.
In the top of the seventh, Cumberlands extended their lead to 12-1. Snapp led off with a walk and advanced on an error by the first baseman and a fly out by
Jose Valentin, and ultimately scored on an RBI single hit by Thompson. Muñiz sent Thompson home with an RBI single and secured the run-rule victory on an RBI single from
Max Harper.
No. 5 UC will return to Doyle Buhl Stadium on Tuesday March 19
th to face Midway, at 2 p.m.
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