PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- To open the day, the University of Pikeville baseball team routed visiting Rio Grande 16-3, but followed that up with a 3-1 loss in game two on Tuesday at Johnnie LeMaster Field.
The offense was a thing of beauty in the opener as the Bears scored 16 runs on 14 hits without committing any errors. Matt Peterson, Lucas Bault, Jay Vincent, Shane Williams and Luke Hartlage all picked up two hits each in the win, while Hartlage and Nelson Muniz, who belted a home run in his lone hit, did the most damage with three RBIs each.
Ean Walda surely felt comfortable on the mount as he was spotted seven runs in the first inning and eight more in the second to make it 15-0 heading into the third inning. Walda picked up his first win of the season after allowing three runs on three hits with six strikeouts in just over five innings of work.
After hitting the leadoff batter in the third, Walda allowed a home run to Eli Daniels, but that was all Rio Grande could scratch off the UPIKE (6-7) starter until an RBI fielder's choice hit in the sixth. Tommy McCormick and Nick Wood combined for the final inning of relief.
Daniels had the only extra-base hit for the RedStorm as it was the Bears loading up on those with Hartlage roping two doubles and Peterson and Williams adding one each. Leadoff Jacob Alverado stole a base and drew two walks as well.
In UPIKE's big, opening frames it scored seven runs on four hits in the first, including two runs scoring on balks, followed by adding eight runs on six hits and two errors in the second.
Game two couldn't have been more different as the Bears played from behind all game long after Rio (5-13) scored two runs in the first inning. UPIKE was only outhit 5-4 in the loss, but came undone partly because of three errors in the field and three hit batters in the first inning.
Before starter Charlie Cokley could get in rhythm he hit two of his first three batters to allow David Rodridguez to hit an RBI single. Following another hit batter, the RedStorm scored their second run on a sacrifice fly.
Caden Cluxton's RBI single in the sixth inning could have been avoided without an error, but still, the Bears were only able to get one run back after Muniz doubled and was driven home by a Peterson single.
UPIKE went three up, three down in the seventh as Cokley received the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in three innings with one strikeout. Dalton Wilburn took the win for Rio as he allowed just two hits in his two innings of action. Caleb Fetzer earned a save by keeping the Bears quiet over the final inning and a third.
Munix paced UPIKE in the loss, going 2 for 3 with a double.
UP NEXT
The Bears host St. Francis (Ind.) at Noon ET for doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday at Johnnie LeMaster Field.
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