WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- Following a River States Conference series this past weekend, the Midway baseball team stepped out of league play for a mid-week matchup with perennial powerhouse Cumberlands (Ky.) on Wednesday.
Luther Bramblett's squad battled from the first pitch with the Patriots – who are currently ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll – but in the end came up short after the home squad scored six in the seventh en route to the 14-7 victory.
Midway – who falls to 9-16 overall following the loss – got a two-run double from Bryant Fontanez (Guaynabo, P.R.) in the second to claim an early 2-1 lead, but the lead was short lived after the Patriots put up a five spot in the bottom of the second to regain a 6-2 advantage.
The Eagles responded with a run in the third and two in the sixth cutting the deficit to just one run at 6-5. Max Hill (Stockholm, Sweden) scored on a wild pitch in the third, while Graeham Luttor (Toronto, Canada) added an RBI double before later scoring on a groundout from Francis Mejia (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) in the sixth to make it 6-5.
Cumberlands – who improves to 30-5 on the year with the win – extended their lead to 9-6 with two of their own in the sixth, but Midway cut it back to a one-run ballgame after tacking on two in the seventh.
Fontanez picked up his third RBI of the game after reaching on a bases loaded walk, while Cameron Nichols (Owensboro, Ky.) singled and later scored on a wild pitch making it 8-7.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, that would be as close as they'd get before the Patriots scored six runs – five unearned – in the bottom of the seventh as they claimed the 14-7 victory.
Midway tossed six different arms as Garrett Dolinich (Dickson, Tenn.) was dealt with the loss. Dolinich tossed 1.2 innings allowing four earned, while Jake Standiford (Lexington, Ky.) allowed two runs before getting the final out in the second.
Domingo Garcia (Cayey, P.R.) tossed 2.2 innings scoreless innings and Lucas Gibson (Indianapolis, Ind.) pitched a scoreless eighth, while John Ivey (Independence, Ky.) allowed two earned runs and Blake Samons (Danville, Ky.) allowed one run.
Nichols led the way at the plate going 2-for-4 with three runs, while Luttor added two hits, an RBI and two runs scored. Fontanez added a double and three RBI's, while William Hundley (Lexington, Ky.) carded a double and a run scored in the loss.
Midway is scheduled to return to return to River States Conference play this weekend when they battle Oakland City (Ind.). The two are scheduled to play a single game on Friday followed by a doubleheader on Saturday in Oakland City.
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