JOLIET, Ill. – Johnny Amann homered, doubled and scored three times and Judson University took advantage of five Cumberland errors in a 7-4 victory over the 13th-ranked Bulldogs here Thursday in the first game of the NAIA Championships Opening Round at Silver Cross Field.

The Eagles (45-15) advance to take on the winner of the final game of the day pitting top-seeded York College and Mayville State at 2 p.m. on Friday, while Cumberland (38-18-1) will play an elimination contest at 10 a.m. versus Trinity Christian.

Amann walked and scored in the first inning, tied the contest at two with a solo homer in the third, put the Eagles ahead for good with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and singled and scored against in the seventh. Nick Norris doubled twice and scored two runs for Judson as well and pinch-hitter T.J. Swank belted a mammoth two-run homer in a three-run eighth inning to put the game away.

The Bulldogs stranded eight runners in the game and missed a couple of chances to tie or take the lead in the middle innings, with Craig Monson lining out to first base and Brodie Ross grounding out in the fifth after a leadoff double by Cory Urquhart. CU loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Tyler Alford bounced into an inning-ending doubleplay.

Craig Lipp (9-2) posted the victory for Judson, giving up one earned run on two hits in 5.1 innings. The lefthander labored throughout his stint, walking three and striking out four. Ryan Perez tossed the final 3.2 innings for his second save, allowed one earned run on one hit with two walks and three strikeouts.

Kevin T. Greene (7-2) suffered the loss, giving up four earned runs on seven hits in 7.1 innings. The lefthander finally ran out of gas in the eighth while walking two and striking out two. He faced several extra hitters because of CU’s five errors and was finally unable to overcome the miscues.

The Bulldogs got off to an inauspicious start defensively, committing a pair of errors before recording an out in the first inning.

Amann drew a walk to leadoff in the bottom of the first for the Eagles and Cameron Balough grounded to third for what should have been a doubleplay, but Tyler Anderson booted the ball. Tony Rallo squared the bunt and missed. Alford threw behind the runner at second, picking him off, but Amann broke for third and Cory Urquhart’s throw hit him in the back.

The ball rolled all the way to the dugout, allowing Amann to score for a 1-0 Judson lead without an out being recorded in the inning. Greene worked out of the jam without further damage, but Judson held an early advantage.

The Bulldogs tied the game in the second, starting with a leadoff walk to Anderson. He went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Richie Seaton and scored on a single through the left side by Josciel Veras, tying the game at one.

Cumberland took advantage of an error in the third to plate a run, with Monson beating out an infield single up the middle with one out and moving to second when the throw was high and bounced into the dugout. Brodie Ross followed with an RBI single to leftcenter for a 2-1 CU edge.

The lead did not last long, though, for the Bulldogs, as Amann ripped the first pitch he saw over the wall in deep leftcenter, his fifth round-tripper of the season, tying the contest at two after three innings.

CU missed a chance to take the lead again in the fifth after a leadoff double from Urquhart. He went to third on a bunt by Justin Johnston, but Monson lined out to first and Ross was thrown out on a ground ball up the middle on a nice play by Brian Brauer to end the inning.

The Eagles took advantage of their scoring chance in the bottom of the inning when Norris led off with a double down the leftfield line. He went to third on a groundout by Luke Rojas and scored on a sac fly to center by Amman. Balough and Rallo later singled in the inning, but a nice running catch by Ross off the bat of Josh Raymond down the leftfield line ended the frame.

Cumberland came right back in the sixth, loading the bases with a walk to Daniel Harrison, a bunt single by Seaton and a walk to Veras, the second free pass coming against Perez. But Alford bounced into a 4-6-3 inning-ending doubleplay, squashing the threat.

Two bad throws by the Bulldogs led to another unearned run for the Eagles in the seventh.

Amman singled through the left side with one out and Balough grounded sharply to first. Monson made a nice diving stop, but his throw to second was low and wide and rolled into leftfield. Ross backed up the play but his throw to third sailed high and went off the netting of the dugout, allowing Amman to score on another error for a 4-2 advantage.

In the eighth Ryan Burke drew a one-out walk before Swank’s blast well over the wall in leftfield, his first of the year in just his 34th at-bat of the season. Norris doubled again, ending the day for Greene. Norris stole third, his 37th stolen base of the year, and Alford’s throw sailed into leftfield, allowing the final run of the day to score.

Cumberland scored twice in the ninth when Veras reached on a throwing error by third baseman DeYoung and Alford belted a two-run homer to left, his team-leading fifth of the season. Urquhart walked and Johnston battled to a full count before flying out. Monson struck out for the third time of the game to end the contest, sending the Bulldogs into the loser’s bracket.