Lake Wales, FL – The #8 Patriots (19-4) finished on top at the Warner Invite, with a 5-1 record. UC posted an 8-7 win over Siena Heights (4-10) and topped Concordia (RV) (16-5) 6-4, on Saturday afternoon at Royals Stadium. UC pitchers struck out 15 opponents and the batters combined for 20 hits, across the final two games.

No. 8 Cumberlands Walks Off Against Siena Heights, 8-7
Wesley Culley was started on the mound for the Patriots, completing 3.1 innings with four strikeouts, but allowed five runs on seven hits. Zach Carlson entered in the top of the sixth inning and went for 1.1, giving up one hit. Logan Wombles was the closer and earned his third win by striking out the final Saints' batter.

Evan St. Claire finished 2-for-5 at the plate and recorded the walk off double and two RBIs. Right fielder, Johnboy Rittenhouse, batted 1-for-2, marking a double, two RBIs, two runs scored, and two issued walks. Going 3-for-4 at the plate, Caden Petrey was responsible for one double, one RBI, and one plated run. Christian Thompson went 2-for-4, with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored. Six Patriots recorded doubles throughout the game.

UC took a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Lead-off batter, Christian Thompson got the game rolling with a single to left field, followed by Charlie Muñiz with a double. Evan St. Claire sent Thompson home with an RBI single to center.

In the bottom of two, Alec Gonzalez hit a single and advanced to second on the Siena Heights' left fielder. The short stop crosse the plate on an RBI double by Thompson, for a 2-0 lead.

Siena Heights responded with one run in the top of the third, splitting the score to 2-1.

Cumberlands added one run, extending the lead to 3-1. To load the bases, Rittenhouse was walked, Petrey singled to left field, and Ben Snapp laid down a single. Gonzalez brought one runner home with a sacrifice fly, in the bottom of three.

In the top of the fourth frame, the Saints posted four runs on three hits to take a 5-3 lead.

The Patriots battled back with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the same frame. Thompson was able to reach on an error and advanced to second on a single from Muñiz. Rittenhouse plated both base runners with a two RBI double to left center. Following with another double, Petrey sent Rittenhouse home. Snapp laid down the third double of the inning to score Petrey.

Siena Heights tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the sixth, with two RBI singles.

In the bottom of seven, Muniz was walked and substituted for pinch runner, Jeremy Garcia. In walk off fashion, St. Claire sent Garcia home on a double to score the winning run, 8-7.
 
No. 8 Cumberlands Slides Past Concordia (RV), 6-4
On the mound, Kailen Hamson took the start and improves to 3-0 on the season. He threw four complete innings, recording eight strikeouts and three runs on five allowed hits. Chipper Korbacher took his third save of the season after pitching the final inning, with two strikeouts and defending the Patriots' lead.

Trent Prokes batted 1-for-2 with a two RBI single and a sacrifice fly. The shortstop, Alec Gonzalez, finished 1-for-2 as well, scoring one run. Ben Snapp went 1-for-4 and recorded one RBI and two runs scored.

Cumberlands scored first, in the top of the second to lead 2-0. Johnnboy Rittenhouse was issued a walk to start the inning off, and the bases were loaded with back-to-back singles from Snapp and Gonzalez. Prokes marked a sacrifice fly to center field, plating Rittenhouse.

Concordia answered with one run in the bottom of the frame, trimming the lead to 2-1.

The Patriots put four runs on the board off two hits and an error in the top of three, leading 6-1. Max Harper was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rittenhouse took another walk and was followed by Snapp, who reached on an error and allowed Harper to score. With bases loaded after Gonzalez was walked, Prokes laid down a two RBI single to center, sending Rittenhouse and Snapp across the plate. For UC's final run of the game, Thompson singled and brought Gonzalez home.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Bulldogs homored to tack on two runs, still trailing 6-3.

Concordia scored one more with an RBI double in the bottom of five, but Caleb Plummer and Korbacher defended the Pats' lead from the mound in the last two innings.

UC Baseball looks to face Union in a midweek matchup on Tuesday March 12^th at 2 p.m., in Barbourville, KY.

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