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Bulldog starter Eddie Ortega pitched a complete game and
struck out nine as the No. 5 seed Cumberland Bulldogs (59-21) def.
the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Stars (73-7) 10-3 in the championship
game at the 48th annual Avista NAIA World Series on Thursday night
at Harris Field.
Ortega (13-3), who won the 1st annual Hank Burbridge Champions of
Character Award, threw 149 pitches and scattered eight hits to earn
the win.
Tonight’s championship was the first in the history of Bulldog
baseball. Cumberland had finished third two times and second once in
their past World Series appearances.
The Bulldogs got on the board first with a solo home run to right
center in the top of the first.
Oklahoma City took a brief 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first when
outfielder Ted Ledbetter hit a two-run home run over the left-center
field wall. It was the last lead for Oklahoma City on the night.
In the top of the second, Cumberland scored four times on their way
to their first national title. After Caleb Barrett reached third on
a three-base error, shortstop Victor Alvarez hit an RBI single to
right to score Barrett. Next batter, Derek Depew, took a 0-1 pitch
and doubled down the right field line to score Barrett from first.
After Mike Minkel grounded out for the second out of the inning,
Phillip Cuadrado tripled down the right field line to score Depew.
McFarlane capped the four-run inning with a single to right to score
Cuadrado.
In the top of the seventh, with the Bulldogs up 6-2 and the outcome
still in doubt, Cumberland erupted for another four runs to seal the
deal. With one out and two on, left fielder Craig Moreland hit a
bomb over the left field fence to extend the Bulldog lead to 9-2.
Cumberland’s final run of the game came when Alvarez singled up the
middle to score Barrett from third.
Cumberland scored nine-plus runs in all four of their tournament
games. The Bulldogs hit .364 as a team, 21 points higher than the
second-place team Oklahoma City (.323).
Oklahoma City, who scored once in the bottom of the seventh, made
NAIA World Series history by being the first team to finish second
in three consecutive years.
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