PIKEVILLE, Ky. -- UPIKE baseball was able to erase an early 6-0 deficit but never took a lead and fell to Rio Grande in 10 innings on Wednesday, 9-7.

UPIKE scored at least once in the fourth through eighth innings to slowly chip away at the RedStorm lead, capped by a two-run eighth to tie the game.

The top of the UPIKE order did damage throughout the day, going a combined 8-for-19 with three RBIs. Jay Vincent had a three-hit day, complete with two doubles off the right-center field wall. Just in front of him, Luke Lubiniecki had a two-hit game with one of the game's biggest hits, a two-run triple in the fifth to spark the UPIKE momentum.

UPIKE's comeback got started in the fourth when Anthony Houk reached on an error to score a run and get it to 6-1. Lubiniecki came through in the fifth with his two-run triple to trim the RedStorm lead to 6-3.

After the fourth inning, the UPIKE bullpen combined for five innings of one-run relief. Ean Walda, Austin Wetherington, and Kevin Justice held RedStorm batters to just two hits over the next three innings.

Meanwhile, Rodny Rodriquez got Pikeville within two runs with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, then a Rio error with the bases loaded got the score to 7-6.

Rio would add an insurance run in the top of the eighth, but that run would become a moot point in the bottom of the eighth. Another error, a single, and a walk loaded the bases with no outs to start the half-inning. Vincent then earned a walk of his own to bring in a run and Houk hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 7-7.

UPIKE got the game-winning run 90 feet away in the ninth, but couldn't find that crucial hit and sent the game into extra innings.

The RedStorm finally figured out Aaron Hedgecock in the 10th after he had shut down batters in the previous two innings to retake the lead, which would stand through the end of the game.

UP NEXT

UPIKE's next contest is set to take place at Johnnie LeMaster Field on Monday, when the Bears take on Fisher College at 1 p.m.

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