WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. -- It was a back-and-forth affair between the University of Pikeville and Cumberlands baseball teams on Friday, but the Patriots got hot for five runs in the last few innings to hold on for a 9-6 win.
Second baseman Patrick Schloss paced UPIKE at the plate, driving in three runs on two hits with a walk and double, while pitcher Josh Bailey also tallied two hits, drew a walk and stole a base.
Bailey threw the first 4 2/3 innings for the Bears, allowing four runs on five hits with three walks before leaving the game trailing 4-2 in the fifth inning. Bryce Carden came in for the next three innings as UPIKE tied things up at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
Things started to come undone in that frame as Jake Goodman drove in a run on a groundout to the mound and Latron Hunter scored another run following a wild pitch from Carden. The Patriots added three RBI singles in the eighth inning while holding off the Bears who scored single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
Carden took the loss, dropping to 2-3 on the season, after scattering five hits for five runs with two strikeouts. Jared Masters came in to record the final Cumberlands out as all three UPIKE pitchers combined for just two strikeouts in eight frames.
Jeff Rivera improved to 3-0 for the Patriots after allowing two runs on three hits with two strikeouts in a 2 2/3 inning relief performance.
Cumberlands (21-22, 6-9 MSC) got itself on the board first when Jose Alonzo led off the second inning with a home run over the left-field fence on a 3-2 count.
UPIKE (15-22, 0-15) briefly led in the game at 2-1 in the top of the third when catcher Cody Chagnon roped a two-RBI double to deep left field with two outs. Â Â Â
The teams will play the final two games of the weekend Mid-South Conference series starting at Noon ET on Saturday.
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