JACKSON, Tenn. – Doug Joyce’s sacrifice fly plated an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth after Cumberland tied the game in the top of the inning and Union University won the rubber game of the series, 4-3, here Saturday at Fesmire Field.

Cumberland (20-18, 7-8 TranSouth) stranded 10 runners in the game, including nine in the first five innings, but still tied the game at three with an RBI single from Sam Lind in the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the inning R.J. Rayborn was hit with one out and moved to third when a pickoff throw to first got away and rolled down the rightfield line in the expanse of foul territory at Fesmire Field. After a walk Joyce hit a long fly ball to rightfield that Brodie Ross caught while banging into the wall. Rayborn scored easily with the winning run.

Union freshman Jacob Alexander worked into the ninth inning, his career-long outing, scattering nine hits but giving up three runs with one walk. Cody Dew (9-0) got the victory despite giving up the tying his and another hit but inducing an inning-ending doubleplay.

Mike Mandarino (5-2) took the loss in a career-long outing for the senior, allowing two earned runs and just three hits. He walked three, hit two and struck out four in 8.2 innings.

Lind posted his sixth three-hit game of the day for CU, which outhit Union, 11-3, while Josh McGee and Brodie Ross each had two hits.

The Bulldogs scored in the top of the first and could have had more. Lind and McGee both singled with one out and Mandarino was hit, loading the bases. With two outs Ross singled to left, scoring one run, but Nick Sydnor popped out to end the inning.

Union tied the game in the bottom of the inning after Clint Barnes was hit to leadoff. He went to second on a sacrifice bunt from Danny Grimm and scored on a double to deep centerfield by Brett Pawlan.

Mandarino led off the third with a home run to leftcenter, his league-leading 10th of the year. Ross and Sydnor both singled with one out, but Will Henderson flied out to right and Pawlan threw out Ross at the plate, ending the inning.

Back came Union again, with the same formula as the first inning. Barnes walked, went to second on a sac bunt by Grimm and scored on a double from Pawlan.

Mandarino worked out of a jam in the fifth, most of it his own doing. Kian Jost drew a leadoff walk and Rayborn put down a bunt, but Mandarino’s throw to second sailed high and off the glove of shortstop Cory Urquhart.

But the righthander induced a 6-4-3 doubleplay on the 10th pitch to Benjie Fesmire and Joyce lined out to deep leftcenter to end the inning with the game still tied two.

A miscue by the Bulldogs allowed Union to take the lead in the seventh. Rayborn was hit to leadoff the inning but Fesmire’s bunt was too hard and pinch-runner John Reed was forced at second. Joyce then grounded to short for what looked to be an inning-ending doubleplay, but the ball rolled up the arm of Urquhart and into centerfield, putting runners on the corners.

A slow ground ball by Barnes allowed the run to score, giving the home team a 3-2 edge.

In the ninth pinch-hitter Daniel Harrison led off with a single and went to second on Urquhart’s bunt. Lind then ripped a single to center, tying pinch-runner Chris Del Bianco, and McGee followed with a single before Mandarino bounced into a doubleplay, setting up the bottom of the ninth.

Cumberland faces top-ranked Lee University at home on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and Top 20 opponent Georgetown College on the road Wednesday this coming week.