Playing a nationally-ranked foe for the third time in the last four games on Monday, Lourdes dropped a 14-2 decision to 11^th-ranked Cumberlands (Ky.) at the Grizzly Baseball Complex in Lawrenceville, Ky.
 
Lourdes took the early lead in the opening inning.  Following back-to-back singles by Harrison Jackson (Millbury, Ohio/Lake H.S.) and Glen Crabtree (Medina, Ohio/Black River H.S.) to open the game, Cameron Gallo (Mason, Ohio/Bishop Fenwick H.S.) put the Gray Wolves on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly.  An error kept the inning alive and Michael Lawniczak (Swanton, Ohio/Swanton H.S.) took advantage with a RBI single to make in 2-0.
 
Cumberlands answered in the bottom of the inning, as Pedro Nazario tied the game with a two-run home run and Candido Encarnacion put the Patriots in front with a solo homer of his own.
 
Three more runs crossed the plate in the second before the Patriots erupted for six in the third, including a grand slam by Bryan Leef, who finished the game with six RBI.  Cumberlands would add single runs in the fourth and sixth on the way to securing the victory.
 
"They could really swing it," head coach Josh Bradford said afterwards.  "We got behind in the count and they made us pay.  We need to keep the ball down in the zone to give ourselves a chance."
 
Corey Linz went the distance for the complete game win (2-0) for Cumberlands (20-2), striking out five while scattering just seven hits and yielding one earned run.  Max Lojko (Barrie, Ont./ESC Nouvelle-Alliance H.S.) suffered the loss (2-1), allowing five runs on three hits in 1.1 innings of work.
 
Jackson tallied three hits for the Gray Wolves, his third game of the year with at least that many this season, while extending his hitting streak to 11 straight games.
 
Lourdes (5-6) will play its final game in Lawrenceville on Tuesday, as the Gray Wolves face Viterbo.  First pitch is set for noon.