LEBANON, Tenn. – Anthony Gomez tossed a six-hit shutout in the opener and Richie Seaton and Cory Urquhart combined for eight hits and five RBIs in a doubleheader sweep, as 12th-ranked Cumberland won 4-0 and 6-3 against UVA-Wise, claiming the Mid-South Conference regular season championship on Saturday at Ernest L. Stockton Field-Woody Hunt Stadium.

It marked the 20th regular season championship for the Bulldogs (33-13-1, 16-2 Mid-South) under long-time head coach Woody Hunt and the fourth in five seasons for the program. Cumberland claimed Mid-South regular season titles six straight seasons from 1997-02 during its previous time in the league.

CU also recognized the 1993 Bulldog baseball team during the weekend, with former players in attendance introduced between games of the doubleheader. Fourteen players from the 1993 club took part, a squad that finished third in the NAIA World Series.

Gomez (9-0) tossed his third shutout and fifth complete game of the season, lowering his season ERA to 1.03. The lefthander did not walk a batter, struck out seven and allowed just one runner to reach third base and that came in the ninth inning.

After a leadoff single to Steven Allen to start the game, Gomez retired eight of the next nine batters before giving up a double to Brandon Fletcher. Tyler Lighton singled in the fourth and Fletcher singled in the fifth, but Gomez set down 10 straight before Allen’s leadoff single in the ninth. Brett Hylton also singled in the inning, but Michael McCollum struck out to end the contest.

Cumberland scored four runs in the second inning and nothing more in the opener, with Urquhart and Craig Monson both providing two-run singles for the Bulldogs. Seaton collected three hits in the game and Urquhart and Monson both finished with two hits, as CU stranded nine baserunners in the contest.

UVA-Wise (10-23, 6-12) starter Steven Klaiber (1-3) took the loss, allowing four runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings. He walked two and struck out six but kept the Bulldogs at bay after the second inning. CU had just five baserunners over the final five innings he pitched.

In the second game the Bulldogs scored three times in the first inning to take control, including a two-run single from Seaton. Jake Collier (4-1) allowed three runs, one earned, on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts in his second straight strong start. He retired 11 of 13 batters after giving up an unearned run in the first and induced three ground ball doubleplays in the contest.

Urquhart, Chris Hall and Daniel Harrison all collected two hits apiece for Cumberland, with Hall scoring twice and Harrison and Seaton driving in two runs each.

Cavaliers starter Justin Wilson (2-4) took the loss, allowing six runs on 12 hits in 5.1 innings.

Harrison, Tyler Anderson and Seaton all singled to start the second inning of the first game for the Bulldogs, loading the bases, but Josciel Veras and Tyler Alford both struck out before Urquhart delivered a two-run single to center. Hall was hit, one of three times he was plunked in the game, setting up Monson’s two-run single to leftcenter for a 4-0 edge.

The Cavs scored first in the second game, with Tommy Meier reaching on a two-out error in the top of the first and scoring on Hylton’s double to rightcenter.

But the Bulldogs answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning, starting with singles from Urquhart and Hall. Harrison’s single through the right side tied the game at one and Seaton’s two-out, two-run single up the middle put CU ahead to stay.

In the third Monson doubled with one out and scored on Harrison’s single to rightcenter for a 4-1 advantage.

Hall singled to leadoff the fifth and moved to second on Monson’s groundout. Ryan Critchelow then singled to left, putting runners on the corners, before an RBI single by Anderson put the Bulldogs up, 5-1.

UVA-Wise cut into the deficit with two runs in the sixth after Tye Marshall led off with a single. Klaiber and Meier both singled with one out, loading the bases, and one run scored on Hylton’s sacrifice fly. Lighton’s two-out single through the left side scored another, making it 5-3 Bulldogs.

Cumberland answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, as Veras singled with one out and stole second. He scored on Urquhart’s single to right for the final run of the game.

Cumberland plays at 18th-ranked Freed-Hardeman on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and hosts Mid-Continent University on Tuesday at 2 p.m. and long-time rival Trevecca Nazarene on Wednesday at 3 p.m. The Bulldogs conclude the regular season next weekend with a three-game series against Bluefield College.