Phoenix end 20-game homestand with 14-2 loss to No. 22 Tennessee Wesleyan
Mar. 23—No. 22-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan beat Cumberland 14-2 Tuesday to end the Phoenix's 20-game homestand at Woody Hunt Stadium/Ernest L. Stockton Field.
Wesleyan (18-9) came out on all cylinders hitting two home runs in the first inning and never looking back as Cumberland collected just three hits and two runs in the game.
The Bulldogs nabbed the early lead as Blake Hubble and Marco Martinez hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first to lead 2-0.
Cumberland got a run back without collecting a hit as two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. Tennessee Wesleyan starter Carter Gannaway balked in a run for a 2-1 lead.
TWU added three more in the second on a two-run homer to left from catcher Daniel Stewart. Hubble later singled home Carson Ford for a 5-1 lead.
Cayle Webster bopped a leadoff home run in the fourth and Ford later drove in Corbin Shaw for a 7-1 lead.
In the fifth inning, Cumberland balked in a run to match the run in the first the Bulldogs sent in to add one more. Kruise Newman drove in two with a single to right in the sixth to extend the lead to 10-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, Brandon Boxer broke up the no-hit bid with a single to center. After moving around to third, Boxer scampered home on a wild pitch.
Tennessee Wesleyan added four runs in the top of the ninth for the final score of 14-2.
The Phoenix are on the road this weekend for their second conference weekend series of the year. Due to rain forecasted for yesterday, the schedule was changed to a single game at 1 p.m. today and a doubleheader at noon tomorrow. Cumberland will travel to Bryan on Tuesday before going to Georgia Gwinnett next weekend for a three-game non-conference series to replace Wilberforce, whose scheduled series at CU was canceled.
