COLUMBIA, Ky. -- UPIKE softball suffered a tough setback to begin the full Mid-South Conference season this weekend, getting swept in a four-game set with No. 8 Lindsey Wilson.

Game 1

The weekend's first game was the toughest game for the Bears to swallow as the Blue Raiders dominated Pikeville for a 8-0 win.

LWC starter Hannah Epperson was in complete control from the start, giving up just one hit across her five-inning complete game.

Lindsey Wilson also got on the scoreboard early with a five-run first inning. The Blue Raiders turned the game into one of the season's roughest outings for Megan Claypoole.

The sophomore gave up seven runs in four innings on six hits for only her second loss on the season. Elizabeth Hickey had the only hit of the game for Pikeville.

Game 2

Friday's second game was another tough one for Pikeville, a 5-0 loss.

The Bears were able to accumulate two hits in the game, but also struck out 16 times. Much like the entire weekend, Lindsey Wilson operated on the long ball, hitting a pair of two-run bombs in the game.

Things could've been worse for Pikeville, but starter Hannah Skaggs did a good job of limiting damage and scattering her hits.

Jordan Gentry and Hickey were the two Bears to earn hits in the game.

LWC only held a 1-0 lead through three innings before hitting the first of their two home runs in the fourth, while hitting the other in the sixth.

Game 3

UPIKE finally got on the scoreboard in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader, a 7-1 loss.

Lindsey Wilson got started early again, like the first game. The Blue Raiders opened the game with a four-run first inning. Add on three more through the second and third innings, and LWC was able to chase Claypoole from the game.

After Claypoole's exit, Brooke Layne had a solid relief outing, giving up just three hits in 3.1 innings of work with two strikeouts.

UPIKE scratched a run across in the sixth inning on a home run from MacKenzie Pawlak, her second of the year.

Game 4

The Bears had the best offensive output of the weekend in the final game of the weekend, a 11-3 loss.

UPIKE was able to strike for eight hits, not far behind LWC's 11. However, the Blue Raiders put Pikeville in yet another early hole, scoring six runs in the first three innings.

However, UPIKE also got started in the third with a double from Gentry and single from Pawlak. The Bears tacked on another one in the fourth in similar fashion: a Haley Osborne double and Claypoole single.

Lindsey Wilson cast any hope the Bears had aside in the bottom of the fourth with a five-run inning to extend the lead to 11-2. UPIKE went back to the routine in the fifth with a Mercedes Boggs double and singles from Gentry.

Pikeville needed one more run to avoid the run-rule, but couldn't bring any more across to extend the game.

UP NEXT

The Bears won't have a long wait to get the bad taste from their mouths with a doubleheader against Bluefield on Tuesday. First pitch from Bluefield, Va. is scheduled for 1 p.m.

-UPIKE-