BEAUFORT, S.C. -- Heading south to start the 2017 season, the University of Pikeville softball team came up short twice against Coastal Georgia, falling 11-1 in five innings in the opener, followed by a 9-4 loss in game two.

The games are being hosted by USC-Beaufort, which the Bears will return to play a doubleheader against starting at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Jillian Bohnert brought the fireworks in game one with a solo home run to tie the game in the second inning, but in the end the pitching of Paige Alt was too much for the Bears to contend with. Alt improved to 6-0 on the season after allowing just one run on one hit in four innings.

Alexandra Quill took the loss in game one for UPIKE, scattering 14 hits for 11 runs. Carrie Griffin added the other hit for the Bears in a pinch hitting role in the fifth inning.

Game two went a little better offensively for UPIKE as it was outhit just 11-6 and got a hit each from Jordan Gentry, Bohnert, Logan Cline, Ashley Goines, Carrie Griffin and Lindsay Floyd. Bohnert again provided the only extra-base hit with a double.

Floyd also went 5 1/3 innings in the circle for the Bears, taking the loss after allowing three runs on nine hits. Dawn Stewart grabbed the win after scattering five hits for four runs for Coastal Georgia.

UPIKE fell behind early in game two at 6-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning. The Bears got on the board with two run in both the second and sixth innings, but could never catch up to that initial burst.

-UPIKE-