PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- The University of Pikeville baseball team was swept in both games of a doubleheader for just the second time this season as the offense struggled in a pair of 8-0 and 10-4 losses to visiting West Virginia Tech on Tuesday at Johnnie LeMaster Field.
With the wins, the Golden Bears improve to 12-2 overall, while UPIKE drops to 10-7. Next up for the Bears is Mid-South Conference play as seventh-ranked Lindsey Wilson comes to town at 2 p.m. ET on Friday for the start of a three-game series.
West Va. Tech 8, UPIKE 0
Catcher Justin Beatty finished 2-3 at the plate, but UPIKE couldn't turn it into any runs as it was shutout 8-0 in the opener on Tuesday.
Jason Sykora got the win for West Virginia Tech with a complete seven-inning shutout. He only recorded one strikeout, but scattered just five hits with one walk.
The Golden Bears got a big boost at the plate from Tommy Weaver and Jeinson Espinosa, who teamed up for five hits and seven RBIs.
Josh Bailey took a game off from the outfield to tally a start on the mound where he lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
West Virginia Tech led just 1-0 through four innings, but added four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth. Espinosa led off the sixth inning with a two-RBI double, plating Marcus Rodriguez and Trevor Lam. Weaver followed up with a double of his own, scoring Espinosa.
West Va. Tech 10, UPIKE 4
After fighting back to take a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning behind a strong starting performance from Bruce Bell, UPIKE allowed seven runs in the final frame for the Golden Bears to claim a10-4 come-from-behind win in the nightcap.
Shortstop Erik Manning was hot at the plate, leading UPIKE with a 2-3 showing and scoring a run. He doubled in the fifth and singled in the sixth.
Brandon Tucker got the win in 2 2/3 innings of relief for West Virginia Tech after allowing just one run on three hits.
Rodriguez and Brady Groesbeck led the Golden Bears, combining for five hits and five RBIs.
A.J. Carkner was stuck with the loss after failing to close out the seventh inning with a one-run lead. He allowed five runs, four earned, while registering one out in the frame. Tommy McCormick recorded the final two outs while allowing a pair of unearned runs as well.
West Virginia Tech built its 3-0 lead over the fourth and fifth innings before UPIKE responded with four go-ahead runs in the fifth. The rally consisted of an RBI single from Jay Vincent, a two-run single from Travis Haen and an RBI single by Anthony Roberts.
West Virginia Tech's seven late-inning runs took the wind out of the Bears' bats though, scoring on a two-run double by Groesbeck, an error, a fielder's choice and three singles.
-UPIKE-
