LEBANON, Tenn. – Cumberland exploded for six runs in the ninth with two-run singles from Josh Croft and Ryan Dickison and Erik Barron allowed three unearned runs in eight innings, helping the Phoenix to a 7-6 victory over 24th-ranked Lindsey Wilson in the first of a three-game series Saturday afternoon at Egnew Park in Columbia, Ky.

The two teams conclude the series Sunday with a Noon doubleheader.

Cumberland (25-17, 8-5 Mid-South) trailed 3-1 heading to the ninth despite another quality outing from Barron. Nick McGrew and Mike Melendez both led off with singles and a sacrifice bunt put the runners in scoring position. Josh Croft followed with a two-run single to center, tying the game at three, but that only started the fireworks in the final frame.

Croft took third on a throwing error by LWC centerfielder Edgar Lebron and scored on a squeeze bunt by Ryan Simmons, who also reached on the play. Pinch-runner Steven Hollis’ ground ball was booted by first baseman Aaron Ashton and a walk to Jarrett Plunkett loaded the bases.

One run scored on a wild pitch and with two outs, Dickison singled through the left side, plating two runs for a 7-3 advantage.

Lindsey Wilson (26-16, 7-6) did not go away, though, in the bottom of the ninth, with Caleb Ratzman starting the inning with a single and Lebron following with a double against CU reliever Curtis Hoppe. After a strikeout, Ashton walked, loading the bases and forcing a pitching change to Joshua Mollett.

The righthander allowed a two-run double to leftcenter to Austin Atwell and walked Miguel Reyes, but Fabian Chirino grounded to second and Ryan Harper popped out, ending the contest.

Mollett picked up his third save of the year and Barron moved to 2-1 on the season, allowing five hits with four walks and four strikeouts in eight innings. He did not allow a hit until the fifth and retired 18 of the first 24 batters of the game.

Scott Sebald (5-3) was even better for the Blue Raiders, setting down 19 of the first 21 CU hitters. He gave up a walk to Dickison in the first and Kyle Allen broke up the no-hitter with a two-out single to center in the sixth. He finally ran into trouble in the ninth, allowing five runs, three earned, on seven hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in 8.1 innings.

Neither team could muster any offense against the opposition’s starting pitcher until the seventh when McGrew doubled to rightcenter with one out and scored on a two-out single to center by Lares.

But the Blue Raiders answered in the bottom of the inning thanks to a big error.

Harper was hit with one out and Dustin Woody followed with a single to center. Ratzman’s bunt pushed the runners to second and third and a fielding error by third baseman Croft on a grounder from Lebron tied the game at one.

Lebron took second on a wild pitch and Brandon Munez’s double to left plated two more unearned runs for a 3-1 LWC advantage. The game stayed that way until all of the fireworks in the ninth inning.