Williamsburg, KY – The No. 2 seed Patriots knocked off #1 seed Missouri Baptist 16-6 in the Championship game of the NAIA Opening Round to punch their ticket to the NAIA World Series and finish the Williamsburg bracket undefeated on Thursday afternoon. UC will head to Lewiston, ID for the third consecutive season and third time overall. In the game, Charlie Muniz broke the NAIA career hits record with his 374^th on solo home run to center field.
 
On the mound, Nolan Wilson took the start and completed 4.2 innings, striking out six batters and allowing three runs. JD Price (3-0) entered in relief for Wilson and was credited with the win. Price allowed just two earned runs with two strikeouts across two innings pitched. Cooper Morgan continued his strong Opening Round, tallying three strikeouts while not allowing a run in 2.1 innings of work.
 
At the plate, Max Harper had a monster day, batting 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBI's. Pedro Vasquez hit 2-for-5, notching a home run and a game-high five runs batted in. Charlie Muniz also homered in a 2-for-5 performance.
 
After a scoreless first inning, Harper put Cumberlands on the board with a solo home run to center field. Alec Gonzalez followed with an infield single to reach base. After the first out of the inning was recorded, back-to-back singles from Edwin Martinez and Trent Prokes quickly loaded the bases. Caden Petrey drew a bases loaded walk to bring home the second run of the frame. Next at-bat, Christian Thompson did his job with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Martinez and giving the Pats an early 3-0 lead.
 
UC scored again in the bottom of the third to make it a 4-0 ballgame. With one out, both Harper and Gonzalez singled to put two runners on base. Vasquez recorded an RBI-ground out to plate Harper from third.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Prokes led off with a double into the left center gap, then advanced to third on a fly out in the next at-bat. Once again, Thompson delivered an RBI-sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-0. Next at-bat, Muniz made history with a solo homer to center field, passing Brian Dinkelman (McKendree) as the new NAIA all-time career hits leader.
 
Missouri Baptist responded with three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit in half, 6-3.
 
Cumberlands responded right back courtesy of a Harper home run to left center, his second of the game to make the score 7-3.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the bats came alive once again for UC as the Pats stretched their lead to 12-3 with five runs on four hits. Prokes led off with a walk before advancing to third on a Muniz double down the left field line. After a Derick Andiarena walk, Harper singled through the right side to plate two runs. Gonzalez drew a walk to load the bases again. Next at-bat, Vasquez hit a two-RBI single up the middle to plate Andiarena and Harper. Martinez kept it going with an RBI-single through the left side.
 
The Spartans answered right back with three more runs in the top of the seventh to make it a 12-6 ballgame.
 
UC would get a run back in the bottom of the frame on an error by the Spartans, increasing the lead to 13-6.
 
The Patriots tacked on three runs in the bottom of the eighth to put their final touches on this one. Vasquez delivered a two-run home run to left field, his 11^th of the season. Muniz added one more on an RBI-fielder's choice to score the final UC run of the Opening Round.  
 
No. 8 Cumberlands will head to Lewiston, ID for the NAIA World Series, with games beginning on Friday May 23^rd.

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