Pikeville, Ky. – The Bears mounted a furious comeback but fell just short in game three against the Bethel Wildcats Wednesday afternoon. 

Kelsie Hardester got the start in the circle for UPIKE and ran into some static early in the first. The Wildcats got on the board first after plating a run on a sacrifice fly. Bethel's slim lead did not last long, however. Alyssa Franklin knotted the score at 1-1 after an RBI double that scored Lillie Kluesner. 

Neither side scored in the second, but the Wildcats took a 2-1 lead in the third. Bethel extended their lead to 4-1 after plating a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. The Bears were kept off the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth, then kept the Wildcats off the scoresheet in the top of the seventh. 

UPIKE trailed 4-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh when things got interesting. Sam Case got the inning started with a single to left, then Amber Triplett singled to right. Case and Triplett then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Case crossed home plate a few pitches later when Zoey Keeton singled to center. 

One batter later, Sophie Kluesner stepped up to the plate with two on and one out. Kluesner reached by way of error and Amber Triplett scored to cut the lead to one. Unfortunately, the Bears could not finish off the comeback and lost 4-3. 

UPIKE's record dips to 14-12 (3-9 MSC). The Bears will travel up the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway for a bout with the Georgetown College Tigers on Friday afternoon. 

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