LEBANON, Tenn. -- The Missouri Valley College baseball team is hoping to escape winter weather by a return trip to Tennessee this weekend.

The Vikings got a chilly reaction in the Volunteer State last week, losing three games to eight-ranked Cumberland -- two of them by one run.

Senior Robert Clayton allowed only three hits through eight innings during the Bulldogs' 4-1 victory Friday. Valley's lone run came on senior Kyle Eley's home run in the top of the fourth inning, but Cumberland took the lead for good in the fifth when senior Nick Jiles hit a two-run shot.

Saturday's opener was a pitcher's duel, juniors Kevin Ricketts and Aaron Stender holding the 'Dogs to one run on four hits. Unfortunately, the Vikings were blanked 1-0 on junior southpaw Lance McClain's four-hit shutout, in which he struck out 11. Cumberland scored on a single by junior Jeremy Wilson in the third.

For entertainment value, the best came last, the Bulldogs winning 9-8 in the bottom of the eighth when senior Jason Bush singled with the bases loaded and one out.

Cumberland (6-2) scored seven runs in the second, Bush smashing a two-run homer. However, junior Nate Combs led a Valley comeback with a two-run double in the third and three-run blast in the fifth to tie the game at 8-8.

The Vikings (4-4) will be in Jackson, Tenn., today and Saturday for four games against Freed-Hardeman.