PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Bruce Bell threw a perfect game with eight strikeouts to help the University of Pikeville baseball team top Kentucky Christian 17-0 in seven innings on Saturday at Johnnie LeMaster Field. The feat, which included eight strikeouts and no walks on 21 batters faced, is the first recorded perfect game in UPIKE history.

The Bears went on to win 10-1 in game two to complete the sweep as they outhit the Knights (0-24) a combined 22-3.

UPIKE (19-12) not only had Bell making history, but was also tough to beat in the opener with Alec Barba going 3-for-3 with a triple and scoring three runs on his own. Matt Peterson wasn't bad either in the win, collecting three hits with a double, RBI and three runs scored as well.

Jacob Alverado and Luke Lubiniecki both went 2-for-2 in the nightcap, including a double for each. Alverado drove in two runs and drew two walks. Nelson Muniz impressed as well, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs.

Kentucky Christian didn't do itself any favors on the mound as its pitchers combined for six walks and 10 hit batters in game one, followed by eight more walks and two more hit batters in the finale.

UPIKE, on the other hand, issued just two walks in both games combined and played error free for 14 innings. Game one was scheduled for nine innings, but a 17-run lead through seven innings brought it to an early finish due to run rule.

While not a perfect game, Aaron Hedgecock wasn't bad either in the nightcap, earning the win after allowing just one run on three hits with five strikeouts. Dalton Dahley entered for one inning of relief, striking out a batter while not allowing a hit in the seventh.

In game one, UPIKE failed to score in the first inning, but did not have that problem the rest of the way. It was 7-0 through four frames before the Bears put things out of reach with a six-run fifth. A sacrifice fly by Alverado and wild pitch scored the first two runs, followed by Muniz adding a sac fly and Peterson hitting an RBI double. The fifth and sixth runs came home when Shane Williams was hit by a pitch and Lucas Bault drew a walk with the bases loaded.

While the Knights finally got on the board in the second inning of game two, the damage had already been done with UPIKE scoring five runs in the first inning.  

Nelson Muniz started the scoring with a single, then Jorge Perez added a two-run single and Luke Hartlage followed that up by doing the same thing to build an early lead that KCU never threatened.

Up 7-1 in the fourth inning, the Bears put a closing stamp on the sweep with Vincent roping an RBI single and Alverado drawing a bases-loaded walk to get to the final 10-1 score.

UP NEXT

UPIKE heads to Alice Lloyd at 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday in Pippa Passes, Ky.

-UPIKE-