BLUEFIELD, Va. – The University of Pikeville softball team had its four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with a pair of 3-2 and 4-1 losses at Bluefield.

GAME ONE – Bluefield 3, UPIKE 2 (8 inn.)

The Bears lost the opener on the final play of the game. Tied 2-2 with Bluefield batting in the bottom of the eighth, Mary Blaker Avery doubled off of Hannah Thacker to drive in the winning run.

The pitching was strong on both sides as Bluefield's pitchers struck out 11 and Thacker sat down five.

UPIKE grabbed an early lead in the first inning as Carrie Griffin drove in a run when she walked with the bases loaded. The Rams evened things up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning on Morgan Sawyers' groundout, scoring one run.

Thacker took the complete-game loss, giving up two runs on five hits and walking one.

The Bears collected eight hits in the game. Hannah Absher and Logan Cline both had multiple hits for UPIKE, while Kitty Raymond and Carrier Griffin each drove in a run.

GAME TWO – Bluefield 4, UPIKE 1

The Bears stayed in it until the end, but Bluefield pulled away late to grab the 4-1 win in the finale.

The game was scoreless heading into the bottom of the fifth when Morgan Sawyers homered off of Alexandra Quill, driving in three runs. Logan Cline got UPIKE on the board with an RBI, but it was too little, too late as the Rams used the momentum of the long ball to stay on top.

Alexandra Bartley earned the win for Bluefield, tossing all seven innings while giving up just the one run on seven hits with three strikeouts. Quill took the loss after surrendering four runs on ten hits with one strikeout in four innings.

Cline finished the game 2 for 3 at the plate, but the Rams' Avery and Morgan Sawyers each collected multiple hits to stay on top.

-UPIKE-