Patriots Tallied 49 Runs In Two Games To Keep Their Season Alive

Story Courtesy of Cumberlands Sports Information

Kingsport, TN- Patriots posted a new runs scored record in the Opening Round in the first game against Mount Vernon Nazarene as they won 19-6 to make it too the Championship game. Then turned around and broke the record again as they scored 30 runs in a win over Tennessee Wesleyan to force the if necessary game tomorrow at 10 am.

Game One

Offensively, all nine starters recorded at least a hit with Raphy Almanzar leading the way as he went 2-4 at the plate. One hit was a homer, and the other was a double. Clay Shelton also came away with a homerun in his first at bat. Five Pats also tallied doubles, Almanzar, Seth Benner, Candido Encarnacion, Charlie Muniz, and Andres Rolon. On the mound, Braxton Cottongame pitched a complete nine inning game. He scattered 16 hits for six runs, only five was earned and one strikeout.

UC notched the first two runs of the game in their first at bat. With two outs, Muniz singled to left field and Kevin Perez came into courtesy run. Next, Sujel Arias singled through the left side and Perez advanced to third. An RBI single to left center by Ray Villanueva scored the first run. Then a double to right field by Benner gave UC the 2-0 lead.

After a response in the bottom of the second, the Pats scored seven runs in the top of the third to take a 9-1 lead. With two outs Villanueva reached on a fielders’ choice and Benner followed by getting hit by a pitch. Encarnacion notched an RBI single to center field. Then on a wild pitch Benner came home to score.  Rolon got walked and Luis Alvarez followed with an RBI single to center field for the 5-1 lead. Cheely then got a two RBI single to take a 7-1 lead. Cheely would steal second a few pitches later, while Almanzar got walked. Muniz came away with a two RBI double to right field for the 9-1 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth Mount Vernon notched another run. UC answered with eight runs in the top of the fifth. With one out, Almanzar started the rally with a solo homer to left field to make it 10-2. Muniz reached first on a dropped third strike, and Arias singled through the left side. Villanueva stepped up and singled to right field for an RBI and the 11-2 lead. Benner followed by reaching on an error and Arias scored on the play. Then a sacrifice fly by Encarnacion allowed Villanueva to score. Rolon then singled up the middle. With runners on the corners, Alvarez notched an RBI single to center field. Next, Cheely singled to right field for an RBI and the 15-2 lead. Almanzar then hit a double to left center that scored two runs for the 17-2 lead.

After a couple scoreless innings, Rolon doubled to right center and advanced to third on a wild pitch to lead off the seventh inning. Two batters later, Rolon scored on an RBI groundout by Cheely to make it 18-2.  In the bottom half of the inning the Cougars tallied two runs to make it 18-4. Then in the top of the ninth, Shelton hit a solo homer to left field for the 19-4 lead. Mount Vernon would try to make a late rally but was only able to score two runs, allowing the Pats to come away with the 19-6 victory.

Game Two

In game two, the offence stayed hot as the Patriots came away with 13 extra base hits. Six different Pats hit homeruns, Muniz, Arias, Villanueva, Benner, Encarnacion, and Rolon. While Muniz came away with two doubles and Almanzar, Arias, Benner, and Rolon all had a double apiece. Gabriel Ramos pitched a great game as he went 7.0 innings only allowing six hits for three runs, with three walks and five strikeouts. Jake Kampen came in relief and pitched 2.0 innings giving up five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks.

The Bulldogs opened the game up with a run then the Pats responded with eight in the bottom half of the first and never looked back. With one out, Almanzar reached first on an error, and Muniz followed with a double to right center. Arias stepped to the plate and doubled up the middle for two RBIs and the 2-1 lead. Next, Villanueva singled towards the shortstop to get runners on the corners. Benner got hit by a pitch to fill the bases. Encarnacion reached on an error and two runs came home to score for the 4-1 lead. Afterwards, Rolon got walked, and two batters later Cheely singled towards the shortstop and advanced to second on an error while two more runs came across to score. With two runners still on base, Almanzar doubled down the left field line notching two RBIs for the 8-1 lead.

The UC’s next at bat, they tallied three more runs to make it a double digit lead. With one out Villanueva reached on an error. Then Benner doubled to left field for an RBI. Encarnacion reached a another error to put runners on the corners. Rolon would then double to right center for two RBIs and the 11-1 lead. Rolon then came home to score on a Bulldogs error.
The Pats tallied two runs in the third to put them up 14-1. With two outs, Villanueva reached on a fielders’ choice. Benner then hit a single to left field. Encarnacion notched a single up the middle for an RBI and the 13-1 lead. After a pitching change, Rolon singled through the right side for an RBI.

Tennessee Wesleyan was able to put up two runs in the top of the fourth, before UC answered with six runs in the bottom half of that inning. Cheely led off the inning by getting walked. Two batters later, Muniz hit his 19th homerun of the season to make it 16-3. Two batters later, Villanueva singled to right field and Benner followed with a double to left center. Encarnacion then stepped to the plate and notched a single to right field that scored two runs. Rolon followed with a bomb that left the park to make it 20-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, Almanzar singled through the left side and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Arias would get walked on the next pitch and with two on base, Villanueva hit a three run bomb to left field for the 23-3 lead.

The sixth started with a bang for the Pats as Encarnacion led off with a solo homer. Two batters later, Alvarez reached on a fielders’ choice and Perez got walked. Muniz would notch his second double of the game for an RBI. With two runners still on base, Arias notched a three run no doubter to take the 28-3 lead.

In the next Patriots at bat, Benner led off with UC’s sixth homerun of the game. Encarnacion followed with a single to left field and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Alvarez got walked and Perez followed with a single to left field. With the bases loaded, Almanzar singled up the middle for an RBI and the 30-3 lead.

Tennessee Wesleyan would score five runs in the top of the eighth to make it a 30-8 game. Those turned out to be the final runs of the game. The Patriots forced the if necessary game set for tomorrow at 10 am.