PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Neither game listed the typical amount of innings, but in the end the University of Pikeville softball team and Cumberlands split the doubleheader with the Patriots winning 7-6 in 10 innings in game one, followed by the Bears winning 13-1 in five innings on Tuesday.
Next up for the Bears, they will host Cumberland (Tenn.) for a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday. First pitch Friday is 2 p.m. ET, followed by a Noon start on Saturday.
GAME ONE – Cumberlands 7, UPIKE 6 (10 inn.)
Once the game entered the 10th inning, the international tiebreaker came into play and Cumberlands took advantage, using a sac bunt and single to score the go-ahead run. UPIKE nearly got out of the frame only down by a run before the Patriots added a three-run double by Mikayla Vires with two outs.
Down by four, the Bears gave a strong effort in the bottom of the 10th with three runs on three hits, Megan Claypoole hitting a single to short that made it 7-6. But Kelsey White's rip to center in the final at bat just missed threatening for a home run and was caught for the final out.
It was as evenly a played game as you'll see with both teams tallying 12 hits and committing one error each as well. UPIKE's Jordan Gentry and Lee Collier both went 3-for-5 at the top of the order and Kitty Raymond had a team-best three RBIs in the loss.
Hannah Skaggs took the loss in the circle as she allowed six runs on 12 hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
UPIKE took a 3-0 lead in the first inning after two leadoff singles and a triple by Raymond, but failed to score again in regulation. Meanwhile, Cumberlands (12-22, 5-9 MSC) completed the comeback with single runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings.
GAME TWO – UPIKE 13, Cumberlands 1 (5 inn.)
UPIKE (18-14, 2-8 MSC) was up 4-1 after three frames, and then the fourth inning happened.
A whopping 13 Bears came to the plate in the half inning, scoring nine runs on eight hits and forcing three pitching changes. Hannah Absher did the most damage with a two-run single, but Gentry led the way at the plate in the game, going 4-for-4 with three RBIs and a double.
Chandler Kelly was perfect at the plate as well, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Claypoole improved to 9-6 with the win in the circle as she went all five innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits with six strikeouts.
Cumberlands scored its only run of the game in the first inning when Elisa Mauldin singled and later scored on a two-out error at shortstop.
UPIKE knotted things up with Kelly's two-out single in the bottom of the frame, then took the lead for good on Gentry's two-out, two-run double in the next inning.
The Bears outhit the Patriots 15-3 in the game as both teams finished with one error once again.
-UPIKE-
