PIKEVILLE, Ky. - University of Pikeville baseball won run-ruled Alice Lloyd College in its final home game of the 2024 season.
The Bears got the bats going early, taking a 1-0 lead after just two at-bats. Riley Paulino led off with a single to right, then stole second. Tyler Maynard tripled to score Paulino in the next at-bat. Noah Helton drew a walk, then Austin Gurney made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to score Maynard. Helton stole second, then Hunter Ferguson walked to put two on with no outs. Francis Subero singled to load the bases, then Samuel Torres emptied the bases after belting a fastball to the left-field gap. After one, the Bears led 5-0.
Riley Paulino led off the second with a double to the gap in left field, then quickly stole third. Paulino scored one at-bat later after a sacrifice fly from Tyler Maynard. Two innings later, Paulino continued his productive afternoon at the plate with a home run to center field to stretch the lead to 7-0. Two batters later, Noah Helton singled to left then advanced to third after Austin Gurney sent a fastball to the right field gap. Hunter Ferguson stretched the lead to 8-0 after a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Helton.
Leading 8-0 in the seventh with a chance to end it, the UPIKE offense went to work, starting with a leadoff single by Ian Setzer. Tyler Freas wore a fastball to put two on with nobody out in the next at-bat. After a flyout and a fielder's choice out, Noah Helton stepped up to the plate with two on and two outs. In his final at-bat at Johnnie LeMaster Field, Helton hit a bomb over the fence in center field to walk it off and give the Bears an 11-0 win.
Caleb Morrison made his fourth start on the mound and pitched a gem. The Georgetown, Ky., native pitched 6.0 innings, allowed zero runs on three hits and struck out seven Eagles. Austin Gurney also made his first appearance on the mound. Gurney checked in the game in the seventh inning and retired the Eagles in order.
With the win, UPIKE sweeps the home-and-home series with Alice Lloyd and their record climbs to 27-14 (18-8 AAC). Bears baseball will hit the road Wednesday for a 4 p.m. game against Campbellsville University. Campbellsville won 10-4 over UPIKE when the teams last met on March 19th.
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