MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. - University of Pikeville baseball split a road doubleheader at Milligan Thursday afternoon.
Game 1: UPIKE 7, Milligan 3 (10 innings)
The Buffaloes got on the board first with a solo home run to left in the bottom of the first. After four scoreless innings, the Bears finally got on the board in the fifth. Cam Revolt led off the inning with a single to center, then advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by Francis Subero. Noah Brooks reached on a fielder's choice and Revolt advanced, giving the Bears runners on the corners with one out. Revolt then scored to tie the game after Samuel Torres reached on a fielder's choice. Milligan retook the lead a half inning later via a sacrifice fly to center. After five innings, Milligan lead 2-1.
After a scoreless sixth and seventh innings, Austin Gurney stepped up to the plate with two outs in the top of the eighth. Gurney tied the score with a solo shot to right field, tying the score 2-2. Richtter Castillo kept the Buffaloes off the board in innings eight and nine, sending the game to extra innings.
Tyler Freas led off the tenth with a single to left, then advanced to secind after a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Sartin. With Freas on second and one out, Tyler Maynard gave the Bears their first lead of the game with a double to right. One batter later, Noah Helton stretched the Bears' lead to three after a two-run blast to left center. Austin Gurney, off his ninth home run of the season, drew a walk then scored after Cam Revolt homered to left.
UPIKE scored five runs on four hits and two home runs in the tenth. Milligan got one run back in the bottom of the tenth, but Richtter Castillo shut the door on the Buffaloes' comeback bid and the Bears took game one 7-3.
Riley Paulino started on the mound for the Bears and had another great outing. Paulino hurled 107 pitches over 7.0 innings, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out four.
Game 2: UPIKE 1, Milligan 7
Milligan came out with a vengeance in game two, plating three runs in the first. The Bears got one back in the second. With one out, Tyler Maynard doubled to right field and then scored after an RBI single by Cam Revolt. Francis Subero reached base after being hit by a pitch, putting two on with one out. The next two Bears' hitters were retired, and the Bears came away with just one in the second.
Two innings later, the Buffaloes scored four runs and blew the game wide open. The Bears put together a rally in the sixth, after Noah Helton reached after being hit by a pitch. Helton advanced to second one batter later after Austin Gurney singled to right. Neither would advance any further after a strikeout ended the inning. The Bears went down in order in the seventh and Milligan took game two.
The Bears are 16-7 (9-4 AAC) after splitting with Milligan today. Game three between the Bears and Buffaloes will take place Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
#BearDown
