Bulldogs sweep Mt. Mercy in home opener

The snow finally melted enough for Cumberland to get in its home-opening double header with Mt. Mercy on Sunday.
The Bulldogs swept the twin bill 12-2 and 6-2 at Woody Hunt Stadium to improve to 3-2 for the season.
Left-hander Zach Whitmer pitched five innings of the opener to even his record to 1-1. He allowed two runs [one earned] on three hits and three walks while striking out seven. Matt West worked the sixth and final frame as the game was called by the 10-run rule.
Wilson Central-graduate James Parker and Clint Alexander each drove in three runs for Cumberland while Courtney Propstand Luis Martinez knocked in two apiece.
The Bulldogs broke the game open with seven runs in the second inning with Alexander driving home two of the scores on one of his three hits. Martinez hit a two-run double in the fifth and Bryant Baines ended the game with an RBI triple in the bottom of the sixth.
Cumberland jumped to a 3-0 first-inning lead in the second game, two of which came home on Eric Mull's single through the left side. He added an infield RBI single in the sixth.
Martinez, Mull, James Lilley and Austin Morgan each managed two of Cumberland's seven hits.
Robert Clayton allowed three hits and a walk while striking out six over six shutout innings to even his record at 1-1. Friendship Christian-graduate Adam Tomlinson surrendered two unearned runs in a hitless seventh.
Cumberland will host Missouri Baptist for a pair of 2 p.m. games today and Wednesday at Hunt Stadium.