Williamsburg, KY – The No. 1 seed Patriots (51-6) punched their ticket to the NAIA World Series after finishing undefeated in the Williamsburg bracket, and defeating Saint Francis (40-19), 11-6, in the Championship game, on Wednesday afternoon. UC will make the trip to Lewiston for the second year in a row and the second time in program history.

On the mound, Kailen Hamson took the start and completed four innings, striking out three batters and allowing three runs. Dustin Sprong entered for 2.1 innings, moving to 4-2 on the season. The senior threw three strikeouts and gave up three hits. For 1.2 innings, Cooper Morgan defended the Pats from the mound, throwing one strikeout and allowing two hits and no runs. For the final three outs, Chipper Korbacher closed the game for UC.

At the plate, Evan St. Claire finished 2-for-2, with a homer and three runs batted in. Trent Prokes went 2-for-5, hitting a clutch two-run home run to make it a one-run deficit, and an RBI single to record three RBIs.

Saint Francis took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, off a sacrifice fly to right field.

In the bottom of the third, UC evened the score 1-1. Charlie Muniz, who was substituted for pinch runner Jay Flynn, singled through the left side to reach base. Flynn advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Johnboy Rittenhouse RBI single.

The Cougars shifted into a 3-1 lead, on an RBI fielder's choice and an RBI double, in the top of the fourth frame.

To tie the score at 3-3, the Pats put up two runs off two hits and an error, in the bottom of the same inning. Alec Gonzalez singled and powered through all the way to third on an error by the Cougar's third baseman, and scored on an RBI single from Trent Prokes. Christian Thompson grouned out to the pitcher, allowin the base runners to advance. With bases packed with Pats, Evan St. Claire walked in a run, to even the score.

In the bottom of five, Saint Francis re-entered into the lead, 6-3, in the top of the fifth frame, off a three-run homer over the centerfield fence.

The Pats trimmed the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of five, when Gonzalez was issued a walk and sent around the bags on a Proke's long ball.

To shift into a 8-6 advantage, Cumberlands tacked two on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Muniz was walked as the first batter of the inning, and replaced with Flynn as a pinch runner. St. Claire hit a bomb  over the left center fence to bring in two runs. Johnboy Rittenhouse was given the second walk of the inning, advancing to second on a balk, and taking third base on a ground-out by Gonzalez. With a double to left center, Snapp sent Rittenhouse across the plate.

In the bottom of seven, the Pats scored one for a 9-3 lead. Caden Petrey, who was substituted for pinch runner Flynn,  was hit by a pitch to lead off and joined on base by Christian Thompson. To load the bases, St. Claire laid down a single to right field. All three base runners advanced on a wild pitch, plating Flynn.

UC extended their lead for a final score of 11-6 in the bottom of the eighth frame. An opening homer by Gonzalez put the Pats up one run. Petrey also knocked a shot to left field, scoring the Patriots' last run of the NAIA Opening Round.

No. 3 UC Baseball will head to Lewiston, ID for the NAIA World Series, with games beginning on Friday May 24^th.

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