DAYTON, Tenn. – Chris Jeffries belted a pair of two-run homers, the second one in the eighth inning, and scored three times in Bryan College’s come-from-behind 9-8 victory over Cumberland here Monday at Senter Field.

The Bulldogs (7-18) scored six times in the sixth inning to overcome a five-run deficit, including a two-run single from Jonathan Larson and RBI singles by Eddie McDaniels and Justin Byrd. CU maintained the lead until the eighth when Jesus Astidillo walked with one out before Jeffries drilled his second two-run shot of the game, this one to straightaway rightfield.

Cumberland put a pair of runners on base in the ninth with a walk to Kyle Allen before Byrd was hit, but Phil Stiles popped out and Hector Viera grounded out to end the game.

Rex Romero (1-0), the fourth of five Bryan hurlers, tossed two perfect innings for the win, striking out two. Langston Calhoun picked up the save in his first appearance of the year, getting Stiles to popout on a full count change and then Viera to ground to short to end the contest.

Cumberland starter Cameron Lenz allowed six runs, five earned, on five hits in four innings but really made one bad pitch that Jeffries drilled into the net in front of the scoreboard to cap a four-run fourth inning for the Lions (23-8). He induced nine ground balls while walking two and striking out one.

The story was much the same for Nick Ford (0-2), who took the loss. He gave up three runs on three hits in four innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Ford also made one bad pitch that Jeffries deposited for the game-tying and winning runs.

Larson went 2-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs and Ryan Dickison walked twice and scored two runs for the Bulldogs.

Jeffries finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs while Cody Rheinhart added two runs for the Lions.

Kelvin McMiller walked with two outs in the first inning for Bryan and went to second on a pitch in the dirt. Calhoun singled to right, driving in the run for a quick lead for the home team.

Cumberland answered with two runs in the second, starting with a walk to Dickison. Tyler Alford sliced a double down the rightfield line, plating Dickison, and Larson followed with a single to leftcenter, scoring Alford.

The Lions tied the game in the third when Jeffries dumped a single down the leftfield line and Preston King reached on an error by Stiles at second base on a potential doubleplay ball. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Jeffries scored on a groundout by McMiller, but Lenz got out of the inning with another groundout to limit the damage.

Bryan exploded for four runs in the fourth inning thanks to a pair of walks from the Bulldog righthander.

Kevin Roberts walked to start the frame and Rheinhart chopped a grounder over Larson’s head at first that turned into a double. Garrison Price was then hit, loading the bases, and Andrew Urbistondo’s sacrifice fly plated a run.

Joey Underwood also grounded out, scoring another, and the Bulldogs looked like they might get out of the inning with just two runs scoring, but Jeffries nailed a 1-0 fastball from Lenz over the wall in rightcenter for a 6-2 advantage.

Bryan added another run in the fifth after a one-out walk and stolen base by Calhoun. Roberts then doubled down the rightfield line, making it 7-2 for the Lions.

Some wildness from Bryan reliever Brandon Marklund helped the Bulldogs get back in the game in the sixth, but only after a leadoff single from Stiles and a double inside the third base bag by Viera. Stiles scored on a wild pitch before Dickison and Alford both walked, loading the bases. Larson then singled into left, plating two runs and ending the day for Marklund.

Reliever Hunter Graham walked Conor Dishman as well, loading the bases again. Ryan Simmons hit a ground ball to Urbistondo at short, who went to the plate for the force. The throw to first from Price hit Simmons in the back and bounced into rightfield, but he was called out for interference on a very controversial play, one that was argued vehemently by head coach Woody Hunt.

With runners on second and third and two outs, McDaniels beat out an infield single to the rightside and pinch-runner Zach Cole scored on another wild pitch. Byrd then singled to right, scoring McDaniels for an 8-7 CU edge.

Ford retired six of the seven batters he faced in the sixth and seventh innings and got the first out of the eighth before issuing the walk to pinch-hitter Astudillo. Two batters later Jeffries belted his second two-run homer of the game, giving the Lions the lead for good at 9-8.

Cumberland opens a three-game series this weekend at Shawnee State at 3 p.m. Central Time on Friday. The teams play a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT.