PIKEVILLE, Ky. - UPIKE baseball split a doubleheader with Carolina University Wednesday at Johnnie LeMaster Field.
Game 1: UPIKE 8, Carolina 2
Noah Helton opened the scoring with a solo shot to left field to put the Bears up 1-0 in the second. The Bruins tied it a half inning later with a sacrifice fly to center. In the fourth, Cam Revolt led off the bottom of the inning with a single to left. Two batters later, Noah Brooks sent a fastball over the left field wall to put UPIKE up 3-1. Carolina got a run back in the fifth after a groundout to short to cut the Bears' lead in half.
UPIKE responded with a pair of runs one frame later. Hunter Ferguson led off the inning with a walk, then Connor Moody checked into the game as a courtesy runner. An errant throw advanced Moody to second, then to third. Moody scored one batter later after a double to left by Noah Helton. Tyler Maynard drew a walk after the ball four was a wild pitch that advanced Helton. Two batters later, Francis Subero singled to center to score Helton and put the Bears up 5-2.
The Bears added three more insurance runs in the sixth. Ian Setzer drew a one out walk and then Riley Paulino walked two batters later. With two on and two outs, Noah Helton doubled the Bears' lead with a bomb to center field. Grayson Harris sat the Bruins down in order in the seventh and the Bears took game one 8-2.
Caleb Morrison made his third start of the season and recorded his third win. Morrison hurled 80 pitches over 4.1 innings of work, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out five.
Game 2: Carolina 11, UPIKE 1
Carolina got on the board early in game two, plating two in the first and two in the second. UPIKE got a run back in the third, starting with a triple to center by Cam Revolt. Revolt scored two batters later after Noah Brooks belted a fastball to left field.
The Bruins responded by hanging a crooked number on the Bears one frame later, plating five runs. Carolina led 9-1 after three innings. Carolina added one in the fifth and one in the seventh.
After plating eight runs on eight hits in game one, the Bears struggled offensively in game two, mustering up just one run on four hits. Noah Brooks led the UPIKE offense with a pair of hits.
Thomas Forehand made his UPIKE debut, pitching 3.0 innings of relief, allowing one run on three hits and striking out two.
Next up for the Bears is a weekend series with Montreat College at Johnnie LeMaster Field. Game one will be on Friday at 3:00 p.m and games two and three will be Saturday starting at noon.
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