BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (MSC) -- Shawnee State (Ohio) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to break a tie game and post a 4-1 victory over the University of Pikeville softball team in the opening game of the Mid-South Conference Softball Championship on Friday at Michael O. Buchanon Park.

The fifth-seeded Bears (18-31) drop to the loser's bracket where they will meet No. 2-seed Campbellsville in an elimination game at Noon ET on Saturday. Campbellsville lost to No. 6-seed Cumberlands in the second round, which was part of two upset wins for the Patriots on the day, starting with a win over No.3-seed Georgetown.

UPIKE's Jill Bohnert hit a solo home run (11) to centerfield to tie the game at one in the top of the sixth, but SSU advanced with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Ashtyn Saunders reached on a bunt single and went to second on a throwing error. The ball bounced off the fence, allowing Saunders to take third and she scored on a passed ball for a 2-1 SSU advantage.

Two more runs would score in the frame, but Saunders' run was enough to secure the win as Pikeville failed to score again. Both teams finished with six hits each, but UPIKE had three errors against none from Shawnee. Six different batters collected a hit each for Pikeville.

Brooke Blevins (13-11) tossed six innings for the win, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts. McKenzie Whittaker worked a perfect seventh for the save.

Hannah Skaggs (6-8) suffered the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Shawnee State (24-22) got on the board first after consecutive singles to open the second inning. A slow roller down the first base line by Haley Rawlins plated the run for a 1-0 SSU edge.

The Bears got two-out singles in the third from Hannah Absher and Jordan Gentry, putting runners on second and third, but a strikeout ended the threat.

Logan Cline tripled to the wall in right with one out in the fourth, but a double play was turned following a bunt to end the inning.

-UPIKE-