Phoenix split doubleheader, go 2-1 on opening weekend

Feb. 7—EMERSON, Ga. — Cumberland baseball split a Saturday doubleheader picking up a 7-6 win over Point University while losing 14-7 against Indiana-Kokomo.

Indiana-Kokomo 14, Cumberland 7The Phoenix struggled on the mound in game one, walking 11 Cougars while the defense committed four errors. Cumberland's offense produced seven runs on nine hits in the game.

Brandon Boxer continued his tear at the plate going 4-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI's. Cole Turney went 2-for-4 on the game with a double, a triple and one RBI.

IU-Kokomo jumped ahead of the Phoenix after scoring four runs in the first inning thanks to a grand slam home run by Noah Hurlock following a pair of walks and a single.

Cumberland bounced back in the bottom half of the inning when Boxer got things rolling with a leadoff single. Turney stepped up to the plate next and roped a line-drive triple into center field for the first run of the game. Later in the inning, Dee Triplett singled to center field to drive in Cumberland's second run of the game to bring the score to 4-2 at the end of one.

The Cougars added three more runs in the second inning on two homers to push their lead out to 7-2.

Once again, Cumberland responded in the bottom half of the inning with Boxer's second homer of the season being a three-run blast.

The Cougars scored seven straight runs as they added one in the third, four in the fifth and two in the sixth to bring the score to 14-5.

Cumberland added two runs in the seventh when Boxer hit a two-run shot for his second homer of the game.

Cumberland 7, Point 6

Just like game one, the Phoenix got behind early in the first inning against Point University. Back-to-back walks and a single loaded the bases for the Skyhawks and a 4-3 groundout brought home a run. Point pushed across two more runs in the inning on a two-RBI single by Slade Mink to give the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead at the end of one.

Juan Moreno got the Phoenix started in the second inning with a one-out single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Walks to Silas Butler and Boxer helped load the bases for Drew Dalton. Dalton was hit by a pitch to bring home a run for the Phoenix but nothing more came from the bases loaded situation as Cumberland still trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the second.

Triplett started the top of the third off with a single to bring up Tim Holyk. Holyk found his pitch and crushed it over the left-field wall for a game-tying two-run homer.

After two scoreless innings, Point pushed three runs across in the bottom of the fifth inning after three walks and three infield singles.

The Phoenix worked some two-out magic in the top of the sixth starting with a walk for Boxer. Reid Bass came in to pinch hit for Dylan Forbes and drove a ball over the left-field wall to bring the score within one. Hughes stepped up to the plate next and hit a home run of his own for back-to-back Cumberland long balls, tying the game at 6-6.

Santrel Farmer reached on a fielder's choice to get things started in the top of the seventh. He moved to second on a walk by Moreno and advanced to third on a sac fly by Wilson Central-graduate Matthew Jenkinson. Farmer later scored on a passed ball to give the Phoenix a 7-6 lead.

Mitch Rogers shut the Skyhawks down in the last two innings to earn his second win of the weekend and give the Phoenix a 7-6 win.

Cumberland is scheduled to host Indiana Wesleyan at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Phoenix's home opener at Woody Hunt Stadium. It will be the first game played on the new artificial-turf infield of Ernest L. Stockton Field.

CU starts 2023

season with a bang

EMERSON, Ga. — Cumberland batted in mid-season form with five home runs on opening day last Friday to blow out St. Andrews, 18-5.

The Phoenix posted 13 hits, including eight which went for extra bases.

Santrel Farmer went 3-for-3 reaching base six times with a home run, a triple, four stolen bases and three runs scored. Cole Turney went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI.

Juan Moreno and Reid Bass both posted two hits and two RBI.

First pitch of the season, Boxer hit a rope over the fence and Cumberland never looked back. The Phoenix tacked on five runs in the first inning as the St. Andrews starter struggled with command, walking in a run, one run scoring on a passed ball and then Bass roped a two-RBI single to push it to 5-0 after the first.

In the second, Hughes jacked his first home run of the season.

Cumberland tacked on another run in the third as Drew Dalton hit a one-out double and scored on a Turney single.

In the bottom half, starter Trevor Muzzi lost his command, walking in two runs on five walks in the inning.

The Phoenix got one of those runs back in the fourth as Farmer was drilled by a pitch, swiped second and third before scoring on a wild pitch.

Kaleb Vaughn took the mound in the fourth for Muzzi after he walked the leadoff hitter. Back-to-back singles and a walk gave the St. Andrews another run drawing it to 8-3.

Farmer led the sixth off with a solo homer and the Knights answered with two runs in the bottom half to cut it to 9-5. But that were final two runs for the Knights as Cumberland scored nine unanswered from that point on.

Second baseman Juan Moreno drew a bases-loaded walk for a run and Dee Triplett scored on a wild pitch in the seventh.

In the eighth, Turney blasted a moon-shot to center for a two run bomb and in the ninth CU put up five more runs highlighted by a three-run homer from Triplett for the 18-5 final.