WILLIAMSBURG, Ky.--The Phoenix blasted four homers in the opener, but couldn't keep pace with the Patriots in game one losing 13-8. Cumberland took an 8-7 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but back-to-back homers gave UC the lead and they added on in the eighth with four more to get the win. 

Cumberland (21-22, 4-9 MSC) had the long ball working today as they hit four home runs, one each from Riley Light, Toshiki Kuriya, Brandon Boxer, and Preston Welchel. However, Cumberland could not keep the Patriots off the bases as they collected 21 hits. Fortunately, the Phoenix got some big outs in situational spots as they stranded 17 runners on base for the Cumberlands, but did not get that enough times. 

The Patriots trotted out four different arms with starter Knicko Billings tossing the first four innings. Jared Shelton threw 1.1 innings before turning it over to Caleb Plummer who got the win. Chipper Korbacker picked up a four out save. The Patriot arms combined to strike out 15 Phoenix in the contest. 

Cumberland jumped on the board first in the second inning. Dee Triplett was hit by a pitch and Riley Light blasted his 13th home run of the season to give the Phoenix a 2-0 lead. 

The Patriots tried to respond in the bottom half, but Cumberland starter Quinlin Wiley stranded three base runners getting out of a bases loaded jam. He did not have the same fate in the third as the Cumberlands. Evan St. Claire drew a walk to lead off the inning. He stole second before coming in to score on a Johnboy Rittenhouse double to left center. Trent Prokes singled home Rittenhouse to spark three-consecutive singles to score runs and give the Patriots a 4-2 lead through three. 

Cumberland battled back to tie the game in the fourth. Light hit a one-out single to get the rally started. Preston Welchel followed with a walk and Toshiki Kuriya hit a single to bring in Light for the first run of the inning. Trenton Duchsherer walked to load the bases and Brandon Boxer was issued a free pass to tie the game. 

Rittenhouse double down the left field line with one out in the fourth. Alec Gonzalez followed with an RBI-single to left and Ben Snapp hit a single up the middle to chase Wiley from the game with a 6-4 Patriots lead. Carter Rost entered and picked up the next two outs to get CU out of the jam down 6-4. 

Charlie Muniz belted a solo shot to left in the fifth to push the Cumberlands lead to three at 7-4. 

Kuirya answered with a solo homer in the sixth to left center to cut it back to a two-run deficit at 7-5. Duchsherer followed by roping a singled to left and two batters later Boxer hit an opposite field jack to tie the game at 7-7.

The Patriots loaded the bases in the bottom half, but the Phoenix made a move to the bullpen to Anthony Patterson and he induced a pop out to first from Muniz with the bags full to leave them stranded. 

Preston Welchel regained the lead for Cumberland with a solo home run to left field for his 13th round-tripper of the year as CU led 8-7 going to the bottom of the seventh. The lead was short-lived as Evan St. Claire and Max Harper hit back-to-back home runs for a 9-8 lead. 

Muniz followed suit in the eighth hitting his second home run of the game and sparking a four run inning that lifted the Patriots to the 13-8 win. 

Cumberland and 4th-ranked Cumberland's will play two more tomorrow starting at noon central time. Randy Sallis will have the call on the Cumberland Sports Network at WANT FM 98.9.