PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A win was not in the cards for the University of Pikeville baseball team in its Mid-South Conference series against No. 23 Cumberlands as it lost 17-1 and 16-2 on Saturday at Johnnie LeMaster Field.

With the sweep, Cumberlands improves to 39-4 overall and a perfect 10-0 in MSC play, while the Bears are now 22-17 overall and 4-8 in the league.

Giving up large amounts of early runs proved too much to overcome for UPIKE as the Patriots led 8-0 after two innings in game one and 7-0 after two innings in the nightcap.

In the two games combined, UPIKE was outhit 34-10 and allowed the Patriots to hit four home runs, including three in game two.

Alec Barba was the bright spot at the plate for the Bears in the opener, going 2-for-2, while Lucas Bault went 2-for-3 with an RBI in game two.

Both of UPIKE's starting pitchers were pulled early as Aaron Hedgecock lasted 1 1/3 innings after allowing eight runs on eight hits and Dalton Dahley came out in the first inning after five runs scored on three hits.

Cumberlands' Josh Avila allowed just one run on five hits with seven strikeouts to win game one, followed by Zach Hurley moving to 7-0 after striking out 10 and allowing just two runs on six hits in a complete seven innings.

UP NEXT

UPIKE heads to Johnson in Knoxville, Tenn., for a 1 p.m. ET doubleheader on Monday before heading to Georgetown for its next MSC series on Friday and Saturday.

-UPIKE-