Lake Wales, FL – No. 8 UC Baseball (15-4) traveled to the Warner Invite, facing Calumet (5-10) and Warner (13-7) on day one. In the first game, the Patriots defeated Calumet, 14-2 with 11 hits. In the following matchup, UC fell to the Royals in extra innings, 6-5.

No. 8 Cumberlands Crushes the Crimson Wave, 14-0
Jake Kmiecik took his first start on the mound this season and was credited with the win, improving to 3-0. The right-handed pitcher threw for six full innings, tying his career high and recorded four strikeouts. Logan Wombles pitched the final inning of the game, with two groundouts and a foul-out.

 At the plate, Evan St. Claire went 3-for-4, with a single, a double, a triple, and two RBIs. Right fielder, Johnboy Rittenhouse, also batted 3-for-4. He marked a double with 2 RBIs and one run scored. Finishing 2-for-3, Jose Valentin recorded three RBIs and a run. Alec Gonzalez went 2-for-4, bringing in three RBIs and a home run.

UC scored four runs in the bottom of the first, 4-0. Charlie Muniz took a walk and was followed by Evan St. Claire with a single. The next batter, Max Harper was walked to load the bases. Johnboy Rittenhouse hit a two RBI single to left, bringing Muniz and St. Claire across the plate. Harper was able to score on an error by Calumet's pitcher in the next at-bat. Jose Valentin recorded a sacrifice fly to bring Rittenhouse home.

The Pats added three more to the board for a 7-0 lead in the bottom of the second frame. St. Claire knocked a triple to left center and scored after Harper took an error to reach base. After Petrey was hit by a pitch to put a runner in scoring position, Harper went home on an RBI single by Valentin. Alec Gonzalez singled to right, sending Petrey to the plate.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Cumberlands plated three runs on two hits for a lead of 10-0. Lead-off batter, Harper, was walked and advanced on a single hit by Rittenhouse. Petrey reached on a fielder's choice and sent Harper to third, who then went home on a Valentin single. Gonzalez was able to reach and Petrey scored on an error by the Crimson Wave third baseman. The final run of the inning was sent across the plate after Clay Shelton was issued a walk to load the bases and Calumet's pitcher made an error, allowing Valentin to score.

Calumet put two runs on the board for a 10-2 score in the top of the sixth.

UC responded with four more in the bottom of the sixth inning, after Petrey singled to get on base and went home on a homer from Gonzalez. Shelton and Thompson were walked and advanced to scoring position on a passed ball. St. Claire laid down a double to left center, plating both base runners for a final score of 14-2.

No. 8 Cumberlands Narrowly Falls to Warner, 6-5
On the mound, Knicko Billings got the start, going for five full innings with seven strikeouts, two hits, and no earned runs allowed. Kailen Hamson entered in relief and pitched two innings with four strikeouts, three hits and one run. Chipper Korbacher (0-1) threw the final inning for the Pats and was credited with the loss. He recorded two strikeouts.

Christian Thompson hit 3-for-5, with two RBIs and one run scored. Trent Prokes finished 2-for-4, notching an RBI single.

UC took a 3-0 lead off four hits in the top of the second frame. The lead-off batter, Rittenhouse, was walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. He was brought home by Petrey with an RBI single to right field. Gonzalez recorded a double and was plated by a single from Trent Prokes. With an RBI single, Thompson sent Prokes home.

Warner put a run on the board in the bottom of four, trailing 3-1.

The Patriots responded with one run in the top of the fifth inning, after Thompson singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, and scored on an RBI groundout from St. Claire to lead 4-1.
In the bottom of the same frame, the Royals scored two runs on a drop third strike.

Warner added a run to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth, 4-4.

Cumberlands broke the tie for a 5-4 lead. Gonzalez singled to center field and Prokes followed with a single to right. Thompson brought Gonzalez home on a ground out to second base.
The Royals took a 6-5 win in the bottom of the eighth, with a double down the left line.

The No. 8 Patriots will face Lawrence Tech at 2 p.m. and Dordt at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Friday March 8^th at the Warner Invite.

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