LEBANON, Tenn.--Behind a dominant complete-game shutout from left-hander
Logan Baskin and a relentless offensive attack, Cumberland rolled to an 11-0 victory over Aquinas in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Woody Hunt Stadium, but dropped the second game in a hard-fought match 4-3.
Baskin was sensational on the mound, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing just three hits and striking out 10. The senior lefty faced just one batter over the minimum, issuing no walks and stranding only one runner in scoring position to improve to 2-0 on the season.
The Phoenix wasted no time jumping on the Saints in the bottom of the first. Gaines Haussin led off with a double and later scored alongside courtesy runner Wyatt Hurt on a two-RBI single by Cal Royer to give Cumberland a 2-0 lead.
Cumberland extended the advantage in the third inning behind clutch two-out hitting. After Wilser Then tripled and Royer walked, Cohl Proctor delivered a two-run double into the left-center gap. Jordan Sheridan followed with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 5-0.
The Phoenix added two more in the fourth when Haussin singled and Dylan LaRue crushed a two-run home run to right field, his fourth of the season, extending the lead to 7-0.
Cumberland broke the game open in the fifth inning with four runs on five hits. Sheridan walked and Andrew McDonald singled before JT Kelenic ripped a two-run triple to right-center. Yuito Suzuki followed with an RBI single, and LaRue capped the inning with another run-scoring hit to make it 11-0.
Offensively, Cumberland tallied 13 hits and drove in runs from throughout the lineup. LaRue led the way, finishing 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Haussin also recorded three hits and scored twice, while Proctor doubled and drove in two runs. Kelenic added a triple and two RBI, and Suzuki and Sheridan each contributed RBI singles.
Cumberland rallied late in game two, but could not complete the comeback, falling 4-3 in the second leg of the doubleheader.
The Saints struck first in the third inning, manufacturing two runs on whacky play. The Saints put runners on the corners and a safety squeeze plated two after the Phoenix thought they had an inning ending doubleplay as the base runner on third was ruled safe after running around the tag. One more run came across on the play for a 2-0 lead.
Aquinas added to the lead in the top of the seventh, scoring on a single to right from Mason Ruether and a fielder's choice to lead 4-0.
Cumberland finally broke through in the seventh inning with a clutch offensive surge. JT Kelenic sparked the rally with a double to left, and Yuito Suzuki followed with an RBI double to bring the Phoenix on the board. Moments later, Haussin delivered the biggest swing of the game, blasting a two-run home run to cut it to 4-3.
In the ninth, Haussin led off the frame with a single and then moved first to third on a single up the middle from Royer, but the Phoenix stranded the tying run on third to fall 4-3.
The Phoenix threatened throughout the afternoon, outhitting the Saints 11-8, but stranded 11 runners and were unable to find the equalizer in the final two innings.
Haussin led Cumberland offensively, going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. LaRue continued his torrid start to the season with a 3-for-5 performance, including a double, while Kelenic finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and a run scored. Suzuki added an RBI double.
On the mound, Santos turned in a solid start despite taking the loss, allowing four runs on six hits across 6.1 innings. Carter Whitefield threw the final 2.2 innings giving up just two hits without allowing a run.
Sunday's game has been canceled, so Cumberland's next game will be on Tuesday on the road at Milligan.
