LEBANON, Tenn. – Erik Barron tossed a three-hit shutout, getting 17 ground ball outs, and Tyler Yorko’s two-run single in the ninth provided all of the offense in the game in Cumberland’s 2-0 victory over Georgetown College in the first of a three-game series Thursday afternoon in Georgetown, Ky.

The two teams play again Friday at 2 p.m. Central Time with an if necessary contest to follow. The winner of the series advances to Bowling Green, Ky., for a four-team, double-elimination conference tournament.

Barron (4-2) walked two, struck out five and allowed just one runner past first base. The righthander induced a pair of doubleplays and retired 11 of the final 12 batters of the game, walking Robert Longtree with one out in the ninth.

He outdueled Georgetown’s Shawn Kennedy (6-4), who gave up two runs on eight hits in eight-plus innings. Kennedy walked one, struck out three and got 12 ground ball outs as well.

Cumberland’s best scoring chance in a scoreless game came in the sixth inning when Gabe Lares reached on a bunt single with one out and Hector Viera followed with a chopper to left. The teams left the field for a brief lightning delay and when play resumed, Ryan Dickison grounded into an inning-ending doubleplay.

Dickison led off the ninth with a double to right and Nick McGrew bunted, but Tigers (30-23) third baseman Kyle Jackson threw to third and Dickison slid in ahead of the tag. Mike Melendez’s chopper to first pushed McGrew to second and Josh Croft grounded to shortstop Chax Meadows, who threw home, but catcher Jalen Poindexter dropped the ball, allowing Dickison to scramble back to the bag.

Yorko followed with the two-run single to left, CU’s sixth hit in the final four innings, driving in two runs. Lares and Melendez each posted two hits for the Phoenix (31-25) in the victory.