The Basics
Score: MNU 7, Cumberlands 8 (10 inn)
Record: MNU (33-17), Cumberlands (46-10)
Location: Doyle Buhl Stadium – Williamsburg, Ky.
WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. – MNU battled through 10 innings at 2-seed and #8-ranked Cumberlands, but fell 8-7 in the first game of the Williamsburg Opening Round on Monday. Both starting pitchers dominated early, but UC got on the board with a solo homer in the bottom of the 2rd. MNU answered in the top of the 3rd by loading the bases with 1 out. Drew Woodley singled home the tying run, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat.
Cumberlands managed a 2-run homer in the 4th to make it 3-1, but the Pioneers rallied in the 6th. Back-to-back doubles from Kaden Owens and Sean Maple got MNU 1 run closer, and Christopher Lugo drilled a 2-out 2-run homer to give the Pioneers a 4-3 lead.
An error led to a tie game in the bottom of the 6th, but
Kaden Owens gave MNU some breathing room with a 2-out 3-run homer in the top of the 7th.
The breathing room was quickly eliminated in the bottom of the 7th. A single and a walk chased
Luis Lopez, and 2 more singles greeted reliever
Reece Helland to close the gap to 7-5. After a strikeout, a potential double play was thrown away for a 7-6 score. Another potential double play was deflected for just one out, and the game was tied at 7. MNU threatened in the 8th but couldn't get the big hit, and neither team managed a baserunner for the next 4 half innings. In the bottom of the 10th with 1 out, an MNU error put a runner on 2nd and chased Helland. Two pitches later, a single up the middle brought run the walk off winning run to the plate, and a very close play went the way of Cumberlands for the 8-7 victory.
Turning Point
The Patriots' run in the 10th was the difference.
Individual Leaders
Luis Lopez struck out 5 in a 6-inning no-decision. Reece Helland struck out 6 in 3.1 innings of relief. And Kaden Owens (2-5, 2 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI) and Christopher Lugo (2-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) had multi-hit games.
Up Next
MNU plays 4-seed Northwestern Ohio in an elimination game tomorrow at 7:00 central.