Pikeville, Ky. - UPIKE notched their first Mid-South Conference win of the season with a 4-3 win over UT-Southern. In game two, the Bears were trailing 4-2 in the fifth before the game was postponed due to rain.
Game 1: UPIKE 4, UT-Southern 3
Sam Case got the Bears on the board in the bottom of the first after scoring on a wild pitch. After a scoreless second for both sides, the Firehawks tied it with a home run in the third inning. Later on in the frame, the Firehawks went up 2-1 after notching three consecutive hits. The UT-Southern lead was short-lived, though, as Sophie Kluesner tied the score at 2-2 after an RBI single.
In the bottom of the fifth, Karsen Prichard crossed the plate after an RBI single by Sophie Kluesner to put UPIKE up 3-2. One inning later, Same Case stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. Case had a great at bat, giving the Bears an insurance run after drawing a walk.
In the top of the seventh, UPIKE starting pitcher Carolyn Alincic ran into some trouble. The lead off hitter doubled, then scored to cut the UPIKE lead to one. The next two batters got on base by way of walk and hit by pitch, respectively. With the bases loaded and two outs, Alincic popped up the UT-Southern hitter to secure the Bears' first MSC win of the season.
Alincic pitched a complete game, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out five.
Game 2: UPIKE 2, UT-Southern 4 (Delayed - Bottom 5)
UT-Southern's leadoff hitter hit a solo shot to left to put the Firehawks in front early in this one. Two innings later, the Firehawks went up 2-0 after an RBI single, then 4-0 after a two-run blast to right.
After being held scoreless through the first three innings, the Bears finally broke through in the fourth. Haleigh Jones got the Bears on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly, scoring Zoe Ingram. Later on in the frame, Alyssa Franklin stepped up to the plate with runners in scoring position. Franklin made the score 4-2 after an RBI single to right field. Kelsie Hardester held the Firehawks scoreless in the top of the fifth, setting up for a dramatic bottom half of the inning.
Sam Case led off for UPIKE and reached base by way of an error. Case then advanced to second after Sophie Kluesner singled. After a flyout by Zoe Ingram, Kelsie Hardester drew a walk and loaded the bases. Lillie Kluesner, who is batting .350 with 15 RBIs, then stepped up to the plate. But before Kluesner had a chance to bat, the game was delayed due to rain.
The Bears and the Firehawks will pick up game two with Lillie Kluesner at the plate with one out and the bases loaded tomorrow at noon. UPIKE is now 11-5 (1-3 MSC) and looks to secure their first MSC series win of the season.
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