LEBANON, Tenn. – Tommy Crews went 3-for-3 with a double, homer and five RBIs and Cody Ferrell had his second straight strong outing on the mound, working into the seventh, in No. 1 Cumberland’s 10-3 victory Tuesday over 14th-ranked Tennessee Wesleyan at Ernest L. Stockton Field.
Cumberland (16-8) scored three times in the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead, only to see the visitors push across three runs in the fifth to make it a one-run run. But the Bulldogs answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take control.
Crews belted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the fourth and had a bases-clearing double in the fifth to break open the contest. He also singled in the seventh and scored three times, earning Music City Star Player of the Game honors.
Tommy Winegardner and Antonio Butler each had two hits for CU and David Fanshawe scored twice in the victory.
Ferrell (2-1) got out of a jam in the first and also worked out of the fifth unscathed before a two-run single from Stephen Branca and an RBI single by C.J. McElroy got Tennessee Wesleyan (17-10) within a run. The Bulldog lefthander allowed three runs on four hits in 6.1 innings, walking six.
Logan Neal came on in the seventh after a pair of walks and gave up just a single in 1.2 innings of relief. Patrick Corrigan worked the ninth for CU, allowing two singles before a nifty 3-6-1 doubleplay erased the trouble.
TWC starter Matt Brennan (1-4) took the loss, giving up four runs on three hits in three innings. The righthander walked four and struck out four. Reliever Drew Housewright lasted just three batters, allowing a double and two walks, and Ronald Phelps gave up three runs on six hits in three innings of work.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the third inning after a leadoff single from T.J. Murphy and a walk to Greg Appleton. Richie Seaton’s sacrifice bunt pushed the runners up a base and Winegardner’s sac fly to left plated Murphy for a 1-0 lead.
CU added three more runs in the fourth. Fanshawe was hit after a 10-pitch at-bat and Crews followed with a two-run homer to right, his first home run of the season. Butler then walked, moved to second on a passed ball, stole third and scored on a line out by Murphy for a 4-0 advantage.
TWC cut into the deficit with three runs in the fifth, as Anthony Boix singled to leadoff and David Lindsay walked. Jon Smith walked with one out to load the bases and Ferrell got another popout, but Branca lined a two-run single into right. McEloroy then singled into center, plating another run, making it 4-3 Cumberland.
The Bulldogs answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Winegardner led off with a double and Mike Mandarino and Cory Farris both drew walks, loading the bases. Fanshawe blooped an RBI single into leftcenter and Crews cleared the bases with a double to leftcenter.
Butler then singled to right and Appleton followed with an RBI lineout for a 9-3 Cumberland lead.
CU added another run in the seven after Crews and Butler both singled and Murphy grounded sharply to first baseman David Bergin, whose throw to second hit Butler and caromed away, allowing Crews to score on the play.
Cumberland plays Shawnee State in a single game Wednesday at 1 p.m. before heading to Blue Mountain College for a three-game series this weekend.
