May 29, 2006

LEWISTON, Idaho - Alberto Cruz's grand-slam home run in the fourth inning aided a strong pitching performance from Zach Whitmer to help Cumberland University knock off top seed Embry-Riddle University 7-2 in the 50^th annual Avista NAIA World Series at Lewis-Clark State College's Harris Field.

Cumberland, the No. 4 seed, improved to 49-16 and is one of two undefeated teams left in the tournament. The Bulldogs, who captured the school's first baseball national championship two years ago, can move into the driver's seat by winning Tuesday night's 7 p.m. Pacific time contest against the winner of Monday night's contest between the University of British Columbia and Lubbock Christian University.

Cumberland defeated Embry-Riddle in the Series for the third straight year by scoring six runs in the fourth inning. The key was Cruz's 19^th home run of the season, a shot to right field on a 3-1 count.

Nolan McCue started the rally with a double and, after a hit batter, Victor Alvarez's RBI single tied the game at 2-2. Another hit batter loaded the bases and Dorian Rojas earned a walk to force in the go-ahead run. Cruz then followed with his big blast, which turned out to be the final runs scored in the game.

Both teams had plenty of opportunities to do damage. Embry-Riddle, now 49-14 overall, out-hit the Bulldogs 10-9 in the game but left 12 runners stranded on base, compared to eight for Cumberland.

Whitmer, who improved to 12-1, pitched himself out of a couple of jams. He went seven innings and allowed eight hits, but only gave up one earned run and two walks with three strikeouts. Adam Tomlinson pitched the final two innings and gave up two hits and two walks, but struck out three.

Cumberland scored in the bottom of the first on Angel Mercado's RBI single, but Embry-Riddle countered with solo runs in the second and third innings for a 2-1 advantage. After an error allowed the run in the second inning, Danny Martin had an RBI double in the third.

Alvarez and Mercado paced Cumberland with two hits apiece, while Josh Doane, Martin and Victor Roldan had two hits each for Embry-Riddle.

Eagles' starter David Timm took the loss to fall to 6-6. He allowed eight hits and seven runs in six innings, but struck out five.

Embry-Riddle falls into the loser's bracket where it will either play Auburn-Montgomery at 11 a.m., Pacific time, or Lewis-Clark State at 3 p.m. Because teams can't face each other a second time this early in the bracket, the final pairings for Tuesday won't be decided until after the Lubbock Christian-British Columbia contest Monday night.

-NAIA-