Lake Wales, FL – On day two of the Warner Invite, the eighth-ranked Patriots (16-4) defeated Lawrence Tech (8-6), 6-2, and Dordt (6-11), 9-4, at Royals Stadium on Friday evening. UC's batters totaled 18 hits on the day, with the battery combining for 21 strikeouts.
No. 8 Patriots Beat the Blue Devils, 6-2
On the mound,
Cesar Avila earned the win and moves to 3-0 on the season, throwing eight strikeouts and allowing just three hits across six full innings, with 79 pitches. In the bottom of the seventh,
Chipper Korbacher entered the game and secured the final three outs, with two strikeouts and one foul out.
Christian Thompson led the Patriots at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI single. First baseman,
Max Harper, went 2-for-4, knocking the only home run of the game for three RBIs.
Cumberlands put their first run on the board in the top of the second innings.
Johnboy Rittenhouse was issued a walk, advanced to second, and took third on a ground out from
Caden Petrey.
Alec Gonzalez plated Rittenhouse with an RBI single to centerfield, to lead 1-0.
In the top of three, Thompson doubled down the left line and scored on a wild pitch, taking the score to 2-0.
The Pats added one more run for a 3-0 lead, in the top of the fourth frame. Gonzalez was walked and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt from
Trent Prokes. Thompson brought Gonzalez across the plate with an RBI single through the left side.
After a few scoreless innings, Lawrence Tech put up their only two runs of the game off a double and a single, trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
UC responded in the top of seven with three runs on two hits, securing the final 6-2 score. Charlie Muniz laid down a single and was advanced when
Evan St. Claire was walked. Both base runners moved up on a balk by the Blue Devil's pitcher. The next batter, Harper, launched the ball over the left field fence, for a three-run home run, his seventh of the season.
No. 8 Patriots Come from Behind to Defeat Dordt, 9-4
Cooper Morgan entered in relief of
Darian Fumero, throwing 4.1 innings with eight strikeouts and allowing three hits, to claim his third win of the season. The next pitcher,
Caleb Plummer, notched his first save of the season, going for 2.2 innings with three strikeouts and two hits allowed.
Left fielder,
Christian Thompson, went 2-for-3 against Dordt, marking a double, two RBIs, and two runs scored.
Evan St. Claire also batted 2-for-3, with three RBIs.
Ben Snapp and
Alec Gonzalez both recorded a home run.
Dordt took an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, off three hits and one error.
UC responded with one run to cut the deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the same frame.Thompson reached base on a single to left, advanced on a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly by St. Claire brought him home.
With back-to-back solo shots from
Ben Snapp and
Alec Gonzalez, the Patriots added two to their score, but still trailed 4-3, in the bottom of the second.
In the bottom of the fourth frame, Cumberlands scored five runs on three hits to take an 8-4 lead. Lead-off batter,
Caden Petrey homered to tie the game. The next two Patriots, Snapp and Gonzalez, were walked and advanced by a
Clay Shelton single. With the bases loaded, Thompson secured an RBI walk. Gonzalez was sent across the plate when Charlie Muniz hit a sacrifice pop-up to the shortstop. St. Claire laid down a single to right center, bringing two runners home.
For the final 9-4 lead, UC tacked on run to their score in the bottom of the fifth. Gonzalez and Shelton were issued back-to-back walks. Thompson followed with an RBI double, plating Gonzalez.
UC Baseball will round out the Warner Invite as the second seed, playing Sienna Heights at 2 p.m. on Saturday March 9th, with a second game to be determined.
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