PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A solo home run in the opener set the stage for a doubleheader sweep by the University of Pikeville softball team on Monday, knocking off Bluefield (Va.) University 2-1 and 5-1.
 
UPike, which improved to 11-10 overall and 7-5 in the AAC, will be back in action on Friday afternoon when it visits Montreat. Games are scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
 
Bears 2, Rams 1: A one-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth by freshman Kaden Dunlap gave the Bears a win in the opener.
 
Dunlap, a freshman from Louisville, hit the blast over the fence in straightaway left field for her third of the season. Dunlap had all three hits for the Bears in the game.
 
Bluefield opened scoring in the second when Kenidy Harris singled and scored on a hit by Chloe Hicks. UPike evened the count in the fifth when courtesy runner Molly Turner scored on an infield error.
 
Chloe Bryant (4-2) went the distance for the Bears, allowing five hits and struck out one.
 
Bears 5, Rams 1: The Bears scored three times in the bottom of the first. Sam Case got the Bears on the scoreboard when she doubled and scored on a wild pitch. Maria McClellan doubled to left to score Dunlap, who was hit by a pitch, and Alyssa Franklin, who had walked.
 
The Rams got one back in the second when Harris hit a home run to right. The Bears answered in the third when Franklin doubled to right field to score Dunlap, who had reached on a fielder's choice, to make it 4-1.
 
The Bears wrapped up scoring in the fifth when Kaylor singled and scored when Franklin singled.
 
CJ Alincic (4-5) pitched all 7 for the Bears, allowing five hits and a run while striking out five. Ali Glover (0-3) pitched all six for the Rams, striking out four.