LEBANON, Tenn. – Anthony Gomez tossed eight innings, allowing two unearned runs in a 5-2 victory in the opener, but 15th-ranked Cumberland committed three errors in the first two innings and No. 9 Tennessee Wesleyan took advantage in a 7-3 win in the second contest on Saturday at Jack Bowling Field in Athens, Tenn.

The Bulldogs (25-13-1) lost 2-of-3 games over the weekend to the defending national champions after a 1-0 loss on Friday. Cumberland continues its current 12-game road swing with a single game Tuesday at top-ranked Lee University at 5 p.m. Central Time.

Gomez (7-0) gave up a single and a walk in the first and a leadoff single in the second before retiring 11 consecutive batters in the middle innings. The lefthander induced ground balls for doubleplays in the first two innings and got some defensive help in the seventh inning when Trey Griffin was thrown out trying to take third on a fly ball. He allowed five hits with one walk and four strikeouts in the victory.

Brodie Ross hit a two-run homer for the Bulldogs in the sixth inning to break a scoreless game, but Wesleyan plated two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to knot the score. In the eighth pinch-hitter Andrew Henson and Richie Seaton both posted two-out RBI singles and Justin Johnston walked with the bases loaded to force in another run.

Cory Urquhart registered two of the club’s 11 hits in the game and Ross scored twice.

Jake Stone hit a solo homer and Wes Minton belted a two-run shot in the first inning of the second game for TWC (27-11), who took advantage of three errors to add three more runs in the second inning.

Kevin P. Greene (4-2) took the loss for CU, giving up six runs on just two hits with two walks in one-plus inning of work. Mitch Rainer tossed five innings of relief, allowing one run on five hits.

Cumberland managed just two hits in the second contest against Jarrod Jameson (8-0), who gave up three runs with two walks and two strikeouts in six innings.

The two teams were scoreless in the opener until the sixth inning when Craig Monson reached on a wild pitch after a strikeout and Ross followed with a two-run shot to left, his second of the season.

Wesleyan answered in the bottom of the inning after a leadoff single from Josh McCray. Branden Walker then reached on a bunt single and the runners moved to second and third when the throw from Daniel Harrison got away on the play.

Travis Burnside’s groundout plated one run and Brad Carpenter’s sacrifice fly tied the contest at two.

Ross started the rally for CU in the eighth with a leadoff walk and Tyler Alford moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt. Harrison was intentionally walked before a line out by Tyler Anderson. With two outs Henson and Seaton posted consecutive RBI singles before Urquhart reached on an error and Johnston walked, forcing in the final run.

CU scored a run in the first inning of the second game, with Urquhart singling to start the contest. He moved to second on a wild pitch, third on Monson’s groundout and scored on another wild pitch.

But that lead was short-lived, as Stone belted a solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Griffin then walked before Minson’s two-run shot to rightcenter put TWC ahead, 3-1, after an inning.

In the second Brackton Smith drew a leadoff walk and McCray reached on an error by Harrison. Aaron Stubblefield bunted but the Bulldogs did not record an out, loading the bases. Burnside reached on an error by Urquhart, plating a run, and Walker was hit, forcing in another, ending the day for Greene.

The final run of the inning scored on another error by Harrison for a 6-1 TWC lead after two frames.

Ross walked in the fourth and Harrison followed with a two-run blast, his first of the year, but Jameson and Tyler Wilson retired the final 12 batters of the game, preserving the win and the series for Wesleyan.