Williamsburg, KY – The No. 5 Patriots (27-4) stomped Cincinnati-Clermont (15-8) with a clean 3-0 sweep of the series. UC took the double header games in 21-4 and 9-0 victories, on Sunday afternoon at Doyle Buhl Stadium. Cumberlands outscored the Cougars 42-6, with hitters totaling 48 hits and 19 issued walks, while the pitchers accumulated 29 strikeouts, across the series.

No. 5 Cumberlands Dominates Over the Cougars, 21-4
Cesar Avila (5-0) started on the mound and went for five full innings to earn his fifth win of the season. He threw eight strikeouts and allowed two earned runs on four hits. In relief, Zach Carleson and Joe Bertram both pitched one inning and recorded two strikeouts each, with no runs allowed.

At the plate, Caden Petrey led the hitters with a trio of career highs. He batted 1.000, going 5-for-5, and tallying three home runs and seven RBIs. Evan St. Claire finished 3-for-4, with a double, a homer, and tied his career-high of five RBIs. Also hitting 3-for-4, Johnboy Rittenhouse recorded two doubles, a home run, and four RBIs.

Cincinnati-Clermont scored first on a two-run homer in the top of the first frame, to lead 2-0.

The Patriots responded with four runs in the bottom of the same inning to take a 4-2 lead. Evan St. Claire got the momentum rolling with a single up the middle, followed by a walked Max Harper. Johnboy Rittenhouse sent the two runners home with a double to right field. The next batter, Caden Petrey, homered to left, plating two more runs.

In the bottom of two, UC extended their lead to 8-2. Ben Snapp was walked and advanced to second on a single by Christian Thompson. To load the bases, Charlie Muñiz was issued a walk and substituted for pinch runner, Jay Flynn. Two back-to-back RBI runs were then walked across the plate. Johnboy Rittenhouse put up a sacrifice fly to plate one run and Petrey followed with an RBI double to left field.

After a scoreless inning, Petrey hit a two-run homer, taking the Patriots' lead to 10-2, in the bottom of the fourth frame.

The Cougars put up two unearned runs in the top of five, but still trailed 10-4.

In the bottom of the fifth, UC answered with seven runs off seven hits to deepen their lead to 17-4. Ben Snapp reached on a bunt single and was advanced to third by a single from Thompson. Muñiz singled through the right side to plate both runners and reached second on a throwing error by the Cougars' first baseman. St. Claire hit an RBI double to send Muñiz home. Plating four runs, Max Harper homered, Rittenhouse doubled to reach base, and Petrey sent his third long ball over the center field fence.

For a couple more insurance runs, St. Claire launched a three-run homer and Rittenhouse homered, to lead 21-4 in the bottom of the sixth.

No. 5 Cumberlands Shuts Out Cincinnati-Clermont, 9-0
To start on the mound, Wesley Culley threw 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Jake Kmiecik entered in relief and threw three strikeouts, and was credited with the win, moving to 4-0 on the season. He allowed just three hits and no runs. Pitching 1.2 innings, Kailen Hamson threw three strikeouts and allowed no hits. Chipper Korbacher rounded out the game for the Patriots, throwing the final inning.

Evan St. Claire batted 3-for-5, recording a double and one RBI. Charlie Muñiz and Johnboy Rittenhouse both hit 2-for-4, each with a home run. Muñiz totaled four RBIs.

The Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second after Johnboy Rittenhouse knocked a solo shot to left center.

For a 2-0 lead with two outs, Evan St. Claire laid down a double to right and Charlie Muñiz sent him home with an RBI single to left field, in the bottom of three.

In the bottom of the fifth frame, UC plated two more runs to lead 4-0. Back-to-back singles by Thompson and St. Claire, along with a walk issued to Muñiz loaded the bases. Max Harper and Caden Petrey both walked in runs to close out the inning.

Cumberlands led 8-0, after adding four runs off four hits in the bottom of the sixth inning. Clay Shelton was issued a walk to lead off and was substituted for pinch runner Jay Flynn. A pair of singles from Thompson and St. Claire enabled Flynn to score. The designated hitter, Muñiz, followed with a three-run homer to tack three more on the Patriots' lead.

To score the final run of the series, Jose Valentin singled to right field and was brought home with an RBI single by Shelton, in the bottom of the eighth.

The #5 Patriots will host Lindsey Wilson for their first home Mid-South Conference series, with a single game on Friday March 29^th at 3 p.m. and a double header on Saturday March 30^th, beginning at 1 p.m.

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