VERSAILLES, Ky. -- Balls were flying from both teams on Tuesday in both sides of a sudden-developing doubleheader, as UPIKE baseball salvaged a split against Midway with a five-run rally while down to its final out in game two.

Game 1

Things got started with a bang, but Midway halted a final inning UPIKE rally and the Bears lost 12-11.

UPIKE hit four home runs in the crisp, windy day and two came in the top of the first. Jay Vincent hit his third of the season with an absolute moonshot way over the right field wall. Anthony Houk followed Vincent with his first of the season to left center, which gave UPIKE a 3-0 lead out of the gate.

However, Midway would be just as hot plus they allowed UPIKE to dig its own holes. Bears pitchers handed out nine walks throughout the game which would lead to its demise. Through the first two innings, Midway erased UPIKE's lead and built one of its own, at 7-3.

The Bears offense kept trying to crawl back with two runs each in the fourth and the fifth, but Midway answered UPIKE blow for blow. Pikeville's scoring got started with a two-RBI single from Kase Mattingly in the fourth. One inning later, a sacrifice fly from Vincent and a RBI single from Houk added two more runs.

But, in that timeframe Midway scored five runs to build and maintain a five-run lead. Pikeville did its best to mount a crazy comeback in the seventh. Luke Lubiniecki got the rally started with a two-run home run of his own, then three batters later, Brendan Halstrom had a two-run homer of his own to get UPIKE within one.

The Bears then loaded the bases with a single and two walks to get the go-ahead run in scoring position with two outs, but UPIKE couldn't finish the rally.

Game 2

The second game of the day was quite similar, only this time the Bears were able to complete the comeback and defeated the Eagles by the same 12-11 score.

Once again, the Bears opened the scoring but this time they let the Eagles beat themselves. Four hits, as well as a wild pitch and error, contributed to three runs for Pikeville in the second. Luke Hartlage and Jacob Alvarado each got RBIs in the second. Alvarado was one of four batters to get multiple hits for UPIKE in the second game.

After Midway got one back in the bottom of the second, UPIKE tacked on another two runs to get a 5-1 lead. Midway were really the makers of their own demise in the third as their second error erased what would have been the first out of the inning. The Eagles essentially had to get five outs in the third between the error and a dropped third strike.

But at the same time, Midway continually built a bigger and bigger rally, scoring all 11 of its runs in the second through fifth innings, capped off by a five-run fifth. Midway hit what at the time felt like a dagger grand slam.

From that point on, UPIKE turned to Aaron Hedgecock on the mound, who was lights out. Hedgecock pitched three complete innings, giving up just four hits while striking out six.

As the sun was setting on a cloudy day, and the stadium lights were coming on, UPIKE used the mix of perfect conditions to its advantage to mount a five-run comeback. However, it came under even more pressure as Pikeville was down to its final strike with no one on before starting the rally.

Tyler Menrath got the show started with a walk, and he was brought home one batter later on a Lubiniecki double, which cut the lead to 11-8. Lubiniecki had three hits in the game with two RBIs. Next, Jay Vincent's popup got lost in the lights and bounced off the shortstop's glove to stay alive and score Lubiniecki.

After a liner fell between the center and right fielders for a double, the tying run was in scoring position at second base. Kase Mattingly then hit a soft dribbler down the line that the Midway third baseman had to rush to make a play on and his throw went wide of the first baseman, which allowed both runs to score. O'Grady then delivered with a laser triple off the center field wall to bring home Mattingly and give UPIKE its first lead since the fifth inning at 12-11.

Midway would try its best to begin a comeback with a leadoff single, but then Hedgecock and Hartlage pulled off a beautiful "strike 'em out, throw 'em out" on the next batter while cutting down a stolen base attempt. Midway would then single again, but Hedgecock would strikeout the final batter to end the game.

-UPIKE-