Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Pikeville softball team needed a pair of Mid-South Conference wins and Sydney Morris delivered. The sophomore was the winning pitcher and hit a game-winning home run to help the Bears top Shawnee State (Ohio) 5-2 and 11-9 on Saturday at Paul Butcher Field.

The wins are the Bears' first in league play, improving to 6-15 overall and 2-10 in the MSC. The Bears of Shawnee State drop to 11-10 overall and 5-7 in the MSC. Shawnee State and Pikeville are currently eighth and ninth, respectively in the conference standings.

After getting two outs to start the game, Morris allowed the only runs of the game for the visitors on a two-run homer by third baseman Hannah Dittoe.

Morris apparently took it to heart as she shut down their bats the rest of the way while also belting a three-run shot in the bottom half of the inning that ended up being enough for the win. The score was tied 2-2 when she hit at as catcher Eady Beth Connally had delivered an RBI double and second baseman Emily Castle drove in the tying run with a single.

Allie Chapman took the loss in the opener, dropping to an even 6-6 after allowing all five first-inning scores as she went the distance for Shawnee State. Morris improves to 2-7 on the year after scattering six hits for two runs with six strikeouts.

There was plenty more offense on both sides in game two, especially from Castle who went 3-for-3 with a season-high five RBIs, two doubles, a walk and two runs scored. Left fielder Mackenzie Summers chipped in with three RBIs on one hit to help UPIKE hold on in the high-scoring affair.

Shawnee State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Hannah Foster came home from second after a wild throw. Luckily UPIKE was ready to respond again as it scored four runs on four hits in its half of the inning, including runs scored on a passed ball, fielder's choice and two-run single.

Pikeville outscored the Bears 6-3 over the next three innings to take a 10-4 lead into the fifth. Shawnee State made it 10-6 with a run on a double and off an error in the infield. Castle delivered UPIKE's last run of the game in the next inning with a double, giving it a five-run cushion in the final inning.

Shawnee State was able to make things interesting, starting with a leadoff home run by catcher Abbey Barrett. After another miscue by the Pikeville defense, the Bears pushed across two runs on two straight doubles to get within two. Before disaster could strike with a five-run comeback, Pikeville starter Lauren Barnes got Chapman to ground out to short to end it.

Barnes (2-5) scattered 12 hits for nine runs in seven innings with seven strikeouts. Miranda Pauley took the loss, dropping to just 5-2 overall after allowing six runs on five hits in just 1-1/3 innings. Pauley hit four UPIKE batters, which was a season high.

Pikeville is back in action at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky.   

 
UPIKE 5, Shawnee State (Ohio) 2
Sydney Morris: 1-2, HR, 3 RBIs, BB, 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 6 Ks
Emily Castle: 2-3, RBI, R
Eady Beth Connally: 1-3, RBI, 2B, R
Sara Browning: 2-3, 3B

 
UPIKE 11, Shawnee State (Ohio) 9
Emily Castle: 3-3, 5 RBIs, BB, 2 R, 2 2B
Mackenzie Summers: 1-2, 3 RBIs, SF
Courtney Morgan: 3-4, 2B
Hollie Hinkle: 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2B, 2 R
Lauren Barnes: 7 IP, 12 H, 4 ER, 7 Ks, 0 BB