The University of Pikeville softball team split a doubleheader with No. 22 Campbellsville on Thursday afternoon, winning the opener 2-1 before dropping the second game 12-2. The teams are scheduled to wrap up the Mid-South Conference series on Friday at 1 p.m. at Paul Butcher Field.
Game One: An infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Bears a 2-1 win in the opener.
With the bases loaded, senior Alyssa Franklin hit a hard grounder that was fielded by the Campbellsville first baseman, but it pulled her too far off the bag to beat Franklin as the game-winning run.
Junior Kelsie Hardester got the action started when, with one out she reached on an infield error. Consecutive singles by freshman Sam Case and junior Sophie Kluesner loaded the bases. One out later, Franklin's infield hit scored Karsen Prichard, running for Hardester, to win the game.
The Bears got on the board in the bottom of the second junior Lillie Kluesner singled to left field. Franklin, who led off the inning with a single to left, came in to score to make it 1-0.
Campbellsville tied the game in the top of the fifth. Freshman Caroline Pitcock led off with a double to left-center. Two outs later, a double to deep center off the bat of senior Madison Davis delivered Pitcock.
The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the eighth.
Franklin had two of UPIKE's six hits in the win. The Kluesner twins, Case and sophomore Haleigh Jones also had singles. Campbellsville was limited to three doubles in the game. They came off the bats of Pitcock, Davis and senior Lexi Miller.
Junior Carolyn Alincic (6-4) went the distance to get the win for the Bears. She struck out eight and walked two while scattering the three Tiger hits.
Senior Katy Chadwell pitched all 7-2/3 inning for Campbellsville. She recorded five strikeouts and a walk, allowing six hits. Neither run she allowed was earned.
Game Two: Senior Payton Blades homered, doubled and drove in four runs to lead Campbellsville to a 12-1 in the nightcap.
The Bears had nine hits, all singles, in the game. Franklin, Sophie Kluesner and grad student Zoe Ingram had two hits apiece. Jones, Lillie Kluesner and senior Amber Tripplett each had one hit.
Junior Keely Bowling also homered as part of her two hits, drove in two and scored twice in the win. Pitcock and senior Riley Hurst also had two hits for the Tigers; Hurst doubled twice, scored and drove in a run.
Davis and sophomore Taylor Windell also had hits.
Sophomore Allison Bush got the win for Campbellsville, coming on in relief to pitch three innings and allowing only one hit.
Hardester went 6-2/3 in the circle and got the decision for the Bears.
--UPIKE--
