GEORGETOWN, Ky. -- Thanks to a trio of home runs in the opener, the University of Pikeville softball team was able to secure a doubleheader split at Georgetown on Saturday. UPIKE won game one 5-3 in eight innings before losing 9-1 in six innings in game two.

The Bears (7-12, 1-3 MSC) are set to return to action at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday against Shawnee State (Ohio) at Paul Butcher Field.

UPIKE 5, Georgetown 3 (8 inn.)

After five lead changes, UPIKE finally pulled out a 5-3 extra-inning win over Georgetown (12-10, 3-1 MSC) with the help of Breana Pineda's solo blast in the top of the eighth.

The Bears hit three home runs in the game as Amber Murrell sent one over the fence in the sixth inning to tie things up, and then Destiny Molden hit a two-run shot in the seventh.

Murrell led UPIKE with three hits, while Molden and Pineda added two each as they tied the Tigers at the plate with nine hits apiece.

Lindsay Floyd earned the win in the circle after scattering six hits for just one run in 7 2/3 innings with two strikeouts. Alexandra Quill tried to hammer home a save in the seventh, but gave up two tying runs on three hits before giving way to Floyd who reentered with one out in the seventh.

Loren Roby was the game's losing pitcher after just 1 2/3 innings of work, allowing four runs on four hits, including long balls from Molden and Pineda.

The game was scoreless until Georgetown broke the ice with one run in the fourth thanks to a solo home run by Shelby Engle. The Bears returned the favor in the sixth with Murrell's solo shot, setting up the exciting finish.

Already ahead 4-3 in the eighth, UPIKE added one insurance run on an RBI single from Logan Cline. Georgetown followed up with a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning to bring the game to a close.

Georgetown 9, UPIKE 1 (6 inn.)

Despite collecting six hits, UPIKE lost 9-1 in six innings to Georgetown in the series finale.

Hannah Morton recorded the win for the Tigers after allowing just the one run over six innings. She struck out three batters, walked two and gave up six hits.

Georgetown got a strong push from Chaselyn Allgeier and Rachel Simms, who teamed up for two hits and four RBIs.

Quill took the loss after Georgetown grabbed an early lead and the Bears never recovered on the scoreboard. Quill allowed nine runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings while walking four and striking out one.

The Tigers got hot early, scoring three runs in the first inning on an RBI double by Emily Snow and a two-run home run by Simms.

The lone run of the game for UPIKE crossed in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Jillian Bohnert.

Georgetown added five more runs in the bottom of the sixth when Sydney Goyette started the rally with a double, scoring Alexis Bahl and Sandy Young.

-UPIKE-