Williamsburg, KY – The No. 6 Patriots opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion, sweeping a season-opening doubleheader against Wilberforce University on Friday afternoon at Doyle Buhl Stadium. Cumberlands earned a 7-0 shutout in game one before rolling to a 14-2 victory in game two to start the year 2-0.
 
No. 6 Cumberlands Shuts Out Wilberforce University, 7-0
Wesley Culley got the start on the mound for the Patriots in game one and was dominant, tossing a scoreless inning while striking out three to earn the win. UC used five pitchers in the shutout, as Stuart Tharle, Ben Rohrbach, Justin Cortez, and Mason Howard combined to allow just two hits while striking out 13 Wilberforce batters.

At the plate, Johnboy Rittenhouse led the Pats, finishing 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. Zamaurion Hatcher went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, while Cole Reynolds added a pair of doubles in his Patriot debut. Derick Andiarena also homered in the win.

The Patriots struck first in the bottom of the first inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues to take a 2-0 lead. Dariel Castillo walked to lead off the inning and later scored on an error. Rittenhouse came around to score later in the frame following another Wilberforce error.

After a scoreless second inning, Cumberlands extended its lead in the bottom of the third. Andiarena blasted a solo home run to left field to make it 3-0.

UC added to its advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning. Reynolds doubled to lead off the frame, and after Castillo singled, Ronald Almanzar lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score the fourth run. One batter later, Rittenhouse launched a two-run home run to left to extend the lead to 6-0.

The Patriots capped off the scoring in the bottom of the sixth as Hatcher connected on a solo home run down the right-field line to seal the 7-0 shutout.
 
No. 6 Cumberlands Completes Sweep with 14-2 Win
Nolan Wilson earned the start and the win in game two, tossing a scoreless first inning. UC again relied on its pitching depth, as six pitchers combined to limit Wilberforce to three hits while striking out 13 batters.

The Patriots collected 15 hits in the nightcap. Rittenhouse finished 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Caden Petrey went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Pedro Vasquez added a home run and two RBI, while newcomer Sebastian De La Cruz recorded three doubles and drove in three runs. Hatcher and Andiarena each added two hits.

Cumberlands wasted no time getting on the board, plating a run in the bottom of the first inning after Castillo doubled to open the game then Andiarena recorded an RBI-single through the left side. Vasquez added a solo home run in the second to make it 2-0.

The Pats broke the game open in the third inning. De La Cruz doubled to lead off the frame, and after Castillo was hit by a pitch, Rittenhouse delivered a two-RBI single to push the lead to 4-0.

UC added another run in the fourth on an RBI-double by De La Cruz before erupting for five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Petrey delivered a two-RBI single, Hatcher scored on a throwing error, and De La Cruz capped the inning with a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 10-0.

Wilberforce scored its only runs in the top of the sixth, but the Patriots responded immediately with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Rittenhouse drove in a run with a double, Petrey followed with an RBI-single, and Vasquez added an RBI to close out the 14-2 victory.

UC will be back in action Sunday, February 8^th to take on the University of Rio Grande at the Clash of Conferences in Kingsport, TN.

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