PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- Pikeville came incredibly close to starting the day off with a win, but after a controversial decision, the Bears lost in extra innings and the Buffaloes used that momentum to take the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader.

Game 1

After a seven-run fifth inning, complete with four hit batters and two errors, UPIKE appeared to have the game on lock with an 9-4 lead and only two innings to go. Tyler Menrath got the Bears started with a two-run home run in the first inning.

However, Milligan came back strong with a three-run sixth that got started with a HBP, walk and error. The Buffaloes seized that momentum with a single and double to plate all three runs.

Things got even weirder in the seventh. Milligan scored its first run of the inning in fairly normal fashion, a wild pitch to score a runner from third. But then after another hit, the tying run stood on third base, and the Buffaloes were down to its final strike. The umpire then called a controversial balk on pitcher Aaron Hedgecock, claiming he did not come set before delivering the pitch.

That allowed the tying run to score and extend the game. UPIKE went down in order in the seventh to send the game to extras. Neither team could produce a run in the eighth inning, but Milligan scored in the ninth on a single up the middle.

Pikeville got the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn't score and ended up losing 10-9.

Anthony Houk and Dillon O'Grady both had multiple hits in the game, while Pastor Sanchez had three RBIs.

Game 2

Milligan kept its foot on the gas in the second game of the doubleheader, which Pikeville ended up losing 8-3.

The Buffaloes scored once twice in the second and once in the third to get a quick 3-0 lead.

However, Pikeville would tie the game by the fourth. Jay Vincent hit a two-RBI triple to get the Bears on the board in the third and Dillon O'Grady hit a triple of his own to leadoff the fourth, scoring on a balk later in the inning. Vincent was the only Bear to record multiple hits in the game.

Milligan would deliver a dagger in the sixth inning though. The Buffs would take the lead on an RBI single, but then later got a grand slam to take a five run lead, it wouldn't relinquish for the remainder of the game.

UP NEXT

The Bears continue conference play this weekend with a road series at Kentucky Christian. The Bears and Knights will play one game on Friday at 3:00 p.m. and then two on Saturday starting at 12:00 noon in Grayson, Ky.

-UPIKE-