KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The bats woke up for the University of Pikeville baseball team in game two at Johnson, outhitting the Royals 20-5 on its way to a 14-1 win to split the doubleheader on Tuesday night.
UPIKE dropped the opener 5-3 after tallying just four hits and striking out nine times.
Nelson Muniz shined at the plate, going a combined 4-for-6 while also drawing four walks, stealing a base and scoring a run. He was one of three Bears to tally at least three hits in game two, joining Jacob Alverado who also went 4-for-5 and hit a triple and Daniel Sterenberg going 3-for-4 and driving in a trio of runs.
Matt Peterson was the lone UPIKE player to get going in game one, finishing with two outs and two RBIs with a walk in the loss.
Johnson (14-24) scored all five of its winning runs in the first inning before starter Chase McKinney could calm things down and continue with 4 2/3 shutout frames. But the early damage proved too much to overcome as UPIKE scored one run in the third on a Peterson single, but didn't score again until a late two-run rally in the seventh that ended with a flyout.
UPIKE (23-18) staffed the pitching in the nightcap as starter Max Hall threw three shutout innings, followed by two more from Charlie Cokley to tally the win with just two hits allowed and a strikeout. Dalton Dahley and Brandon Sewell closed the game with an inning on the mound each.
Sewell allowed the only run when Dalton Pruitt got to him for a triple in the seventh. But by that point the win was all but certain as the Bears had scored in six of the seven innings, including seven runs in the third on seven hits. Alverado led off that frame with a triple, and the good luck continued from there.
GAME ONE – Johnson 5, UPIKE 3
Matt Peterson: 2-3, 2 RBIs, BB
Nelson Muniz: 0-1, 3 BB, SB
Alec Barba: 1-4, RBI, R, 2B
Chase McKinney: L, 5.2 IP, 9 H, 5 R, 2 K, 2 BB
GAME TWO – UPIKE 14, Johnson 1
Nelson Muniz: 4-5, RBI, R, BB
Jacob Alverado: 4-5, RBI, 2 R, 3B
Jay Vincent: 1-2, 3 BB, 3 R, 3B
Shane Williams: 2-5, 4 RBIs, 2 R, 2B
Jorge Perez: 2-5, R, 2B
Daniel Sterenberg: 3-4, 3 RBIs, 2 R
Max Hall: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 K, BB
Charlie Cokley: W, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, K
UP NEXT
UPIKE returns to Mid-South Conference play at 3 p.m. ET on Friday at Georgetown.
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