PULASKI, Tenn. -- The University of Pikeville opened the 2023 Mid-South Conference baseball tournament by pounding out 17 hits, six of which were for extra bases, to knock off UT-Southern 13-5 on Saturday afternoon.  

The win put the Bears within a win of advancing to Bowling Green next weekend, where the tournament will resume. They have two games in which to do so, both of which will be played on Sunday afternoon.  

UPIKE (22-24) had four different multiple-run innings in the win, and began the game by posting three of them in the first three frames.  

It didn't take long for the guests to get things started. After third baseman Ryan Sartin reached on a leadoff single, shortstop Kyle Williams blasted a home run to left field. It was his fourth home run of the season and put the Bears in front early.  

They weren't done yet. First-baseman Tyler Maynard followed with a double and later scored when centerfielder Tyler Freas was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 3-0.  

UT-Southern (32-17) wasted no time getting back in the game, matching the Bears with three in the bottom of the inning. The big hit was a two-run homer by catcher Coleman Siniard that evened the game at 3-3.  

The Bears kept their foot on the gas in the second. Sartin singled and moved to third on a throwing error and quickly scored on an infield single by Williams. Maynard reached on a fielder's choice, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of left fielder Noah Brooks made it 5-3.  

The third inning began when catcher Sammy Torres hit a home run to left field. The blast was his fourth of the season. After Williams reached on an infield hit, he scored on a two-run home run by Maynard, his fourth of the season, and the Bears led 8-3.  

The Bears added a single run in the fifth when Maynard was hit by a pitch, stole his way into scoring position and was plated on a single by Brooks.  

Three more Bears scored in the seventh. Again the top of the lineup was leading the way. Williams doubled and stole third before a hit by Maynard drove him in. Brooks delivered Maynard on a single to left and then scored himself when Torres was walked to load the bases to make it 12-3.  

The Firehawks scored twice in the bottom of the seventh on a double to right-center by Kevin McCarthy but would get no closer.  

The Bears wrapped up scoring by tacking on a tally in the ninth. Brooks led off with a single and scored on a fielder's choice and throwing error off the bat of pinch-hitter Demarco Miller.  

Kameron Brodeur (4-4) pitched 5-2/3 inning to pick up the win for the Bears. He allowed four hits and three runs while striking out two. Richtter Castillo threw the final 3-1/3, striking out five and scattering three hits.  

Logan Parrott, the first of four Southern pitchers, took the decision. He was chased after two innings, allowing six hits and five runs.  

Williams had four hits to lead six Bears to multiple-hit games. He scored four times and drove in three. Maynard and Brooks had three hits apiece, while Sartin, Torres and Cameron Revolt had two hits each.  

Freas added a single and an RBI.  

--UPIKE--