PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- The University of Pikeville softball team registered its third doubleheader sweep of the season, topping Shawnee State 1-0 and 2-1 on the road Tuesday afternoon at Boone Coleman Field.
UPIKE improves to 9-7 overall and 3-3 in Mid-South Conference play, while Shawnee State drops to 5-7 on the season and 1-5 in the MSC.
Third baseman Breana Pineda led UPIKE with a combined three hits and two runs scored while also swiping three bases. Pikeville was outhit by SSU 4-3 in game one but still found a way to win with the help of an RBI double from catcher Eady Beth Connally.
Left fielder Kayla Brown was a perfect 2 for 2 in game two with a stolen base and Hawley Ill roped a double in her lone hit of the day.
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UPIKE 1, Shawnee State 0
Ill (3-2) pitched seven strong innings to carry the Bears in a game they had to have it, scoring just one run in the game to beat Shawnee State.
The UPIKE defense and Ill held SSU scoreless by allowing five hits while tallying just one strikeout. Needing to be near perfect in the field, Pikeville came through, committing just one error.
After six scoreless innings, Connally put UPIKE in front with an RBI double, scoring Pineda who had reached with a single to centerfield.
Allie Chapman (2-2) took the loss for Shawnee State after striking out four and walking none.
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UPIKE 2, Shawnee State 1
There was a little more offense in game two as the Bears from Pikeville outhit SSU 6-2 and scored a run in the third and sixth innings to come through with the 2-1 win.
Right fielder Sydney Beckelhymer got things started in the third with a single and later scored from third on a wild pitch by Alex Bowers. SSU tied things up in the fourth as centerfielder Kelsey Jenkins singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, then scored on a single down the left-field line from third baseman Rachael Ash.
After a scoreless fifth frame, UPIKE pushed across the winning run in the top of the sixth as Pineda singled and stole second and third base. After successfully stealing third, SSU catcher Miranda Melvin's throw was wild, allowing Pineda to hustle across the plate.
Sydney Morris shut out Shawnee State the rest of the way, finishing with seven strikeouts and no walks to improve to an even 4-4 on the season. Bowers (1-3) took the loss after scattering six hits for two runs and striking out just three batters.
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UPIKE is back in action at 4 p.m. ET on Friday at second-ranked Lindsey Wilson in Columbia, Ky.
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