GRAYSON, Ky. - University of Pikeville swept a doubleheader at KCU Tuesday afternoon.
Game 1: UPIKE 7, KCU 4
Sam Case led off game one with a walk, then advanced to second after a productive out by Lillie Kluesner. Case advanced to third after a single by Kaden Dunlap, then scored after an error. The Knights would tie the score at one in the bottom of the first. KCU added one in the third and two more in fourth and led 4-1 after four.
Trailing by three in the top of the sixth, the Bears rallied back, starting with a leadoff single by Jasmine Kaylor. Kaylor scored all the way from first one batter later after Alyssa Franklin doubled to left. Emma Muncy checked into the game as a pinch runner and quickly advanced to third after an infield hit by Addison Johnson. With runner on the corners and no outs, Zoey Keeton entered the game to pinch hit and singled to left to cut the KCU lead to one. Kendall Hillard reentered as a runner, and advanced to second after Sophie Kluesner was hit by a pitch. Haleigh Jones knotted the score at four one at-bat later with a single to left.
The Bears took the lead for good in the seventh, starting with Jasmine Kaylor drawing a walk to start the inning. Two batters later, Addison Johnson singled to pright to put Kaylor in scoring position. Kendall Hillard singled to right one batter later to load the bases, then Sophie Kluesner emptied the bases with a three-run double to put the Bears up 7-4. Kelsie Hardester retired the Knights in order in the bottom of the seventh and the Bears took game one.
Game 2: UPIKE 11, KCU 3
After two scoreless innings, Katelyn Byrd got a rally started for the Bears with a one-out single and quickly advanced to second after an infield hit by Addison Johnson. Johnson and Byrd then got into scoring position after a productive out by Lillie Kluesner, then both scored after a single by Jasmine Kaylor. One batter later, Kaylor advanced to second after Kaden Dunlap drew a walk. A single to left by Alyssa Franklin would score Kaylor and give the Bears a 3-0 lead.
After the Knights got a run back in the fourth, UPIKE responded with four runs on their own in the top of the fifth. Addison Johnson lead off the fifth with a single and advanced to second after an error. Lillie Kluesner advanced Johnson to third after a single to left, the Kluesner moved into scoring position after stealing second. Two batters later, Kaden Dunlap flew out to right to score Johnson and Kluesner advanced to third. Alyssa Franklin tacked on another RBI after a single to center, then Franklin tapped the dish after a two-run blast by Maria McClellan to put UPIKE up 7-1.
KCU scored one in the fifth, only to see the Bears score four more in the top of the sixth. Jamie Pollard led off the sixth with a double to the gap in left field. Pollard made it to third, then scored after back-to-back errors by the Knights. Lillie Kluesner then singled to load the bases. Sara Bays made it a 9-2 game after a sacrifice fly to left, then Kaden Dunlap belted a fastball to the gap in right center to put UPIKE up 11-2. KCU scored one run in the bottom of the sixth and the Bears won 11-3 to secure the sweep.
UPIKE's record climbs to 17-16 (13-11 AAC) following Tuesday's sweep. The Bears will return home for a Friday afternoon doubleheader against the Bryan College Lions with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
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