LAURINBURG, N.C. -- The University of Pikeville baseball team gave up a six-run lead late in game one, then got behind early and never recovered in the nightcap as it dropped both games of a season-opening doubleheader at St. Andrews 8-7 and 4-1 on Saturday.

Right fielder Scottie Whitaker collected two hits and left fielder Anthony Roberts hit a double in the opener, while first baseman Jay Vincent went 2 for 2 at the plate and Erik Manning hit a double, scored a run and drew a walk in game two.

A.J. Carkner got the first start of the season for UPIKE on the mound and went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with no strikeouts in the 8-7 loss. Dalton Dahley started game two, allowing four runs on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks in four innings of work.

Game One - St. Andrews 8, UPIKE 7

After two scoreless innings, the Bears got things rolling with a four-run third.

Travis Haen started the scoring when he hustled home on Daniel Sterenberg's sacrifice fly, then Roberts roped an RBI double and Justin Beatty lined a two-run single past the shortstop.

St. Andrews got one run back in the fifth inning after a double and an error in the infield two batters later, but the Bears responded with three more in the sixth to take a commanding 7-1 lead.

Like in the big inning before it, the scoring started with another sac fly, and continued on a St. Andrews error and ended with Whitaker scoring from third on a groundout by Roberts.

But proving no lead is safe in baseball, the Knights were able to tally six runs in the sixth inning on five hits.

Carkner started the inning getting a groundout to short, but gave up a double and single to the next two batters. James Brooks entered in relief and immediately ran into trouble. The first batter he faced hit an RBI double, followed by a walk and single before recording the second out.

A hit batter and another single later, the Knights had tallied five runs and were only shy of tying things up. Freshman Aaron Hedgecock replaced Brooks, but couldn't get out of the inning with a fly ball to center before giving up the tying run.

UPIKE could only manage a walk in its half of the seventh, allowing St. Andrews' Ryne Dickens to win the game with a single after Jeremy McDowell had led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third on a hit ball.

Brooks took the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in 1/3 of an inning, while Zach Saylor earned the win in just two innings of relief, despite giving up three runs on two hits and walking a pair.

Game Two - St. Andrews 4, UPIKE 1

St. Andrews got its offense going much earlier in game two, plating three runs in the first inning. Even more impressive, all three were scored with two outs.

Rancel Rosado hit an RBI single, as did McDowell and Matt Malik found a way to steal home after walking and moving to third on a batted ball.

What would end up being UPIKE's only run of the game was scored in the second inning when Manning doubled and later scored on Haen's fielder's choice connection.

There wasn't a ton of offense to report either way as the Knights tallied the final run of the game in the bottom of the second on a Malik single. The three-run first ended up being all they would need to secure the win, even with only outhitting UPIKE 5-4 overall.

Dahley took the loss in the shortened game that only lasted six innings due to darkness. He allowed all four runs on four hits, but finished with five strikeouts in four innings pitched. St. Andrews' Michael Coombs earned the win after scattering three hits for just the one run and no strikeouts.

Up Next   

UPIKE and St. Andrews will two more games to complete the weekend series starting at Noon ET on Sunday.

-UPIKE-