PIKEVILLE, Ky. – The University of Pikeville softball team rallied with a five-run seventh to win the opener and plated five more in the first of the second to lead to a sweep of Union.
 
UPike won 6-4 and 13-3 to improve to 13-12 overall and 9-7 in the AAC.  
 
The Bears return to the field on Saturday at noon when they visit Waleska, Ga., to play Reinhardt University.
 
Bears 6, Bulldogs 4: Freshman Kaden Dunlap ripped a three-run home run to centerfield to cap a five-run seventh inning and give the Bears their only lead of the game.
 
Trailing 4-1, pinch-hitter Jasmine Keller walked and scored when Kendall Hillard hit her first homer of the season. One out later, Sam Case doubled to left. After a pitching change, Lillie Kluesner singled to center, setting the stage for Dunlap, who went deep to center to win the game.
 
The Bulldogs put up single runs in the second and third, both on solo homers. The first came on a blast to right by Kayla Keller, followed the next frame by a Megan Merritt dinger to straightaway center.
 
In the fifth, Merritt doubled it up with a two-run homer to make the lead 4-0.
 
The Bears got on the scoreboard in the sixth when Sara Bays doubled to left-center. Alyssa Franklin followed with a single down the left-field line to score Emma Muncy, who was running for Bays.
 
Kelsey Hardester (2-2) pitched the final 2-1/3 to pick up the win. She relieved Chloe Bryant, who went the first 4-2/3, striking out four.
 
Bears 13, Bulldogs 3: UPike wasted no time in taking control of the second game, posting five in the first inning. It began when Sam Case led off with a home run to left center. Lillie Kluesner walked and scored when Kaden Dunlap doubled to make it 2-0.
 
After Maddie Horn walked, Maria McClellan blasted a home run left to make it 5-0.
 
Union got on the scoreboard in the second. Shelby Easton doubled with two outs and came in when Megan McGinley singled.
 
The Bears answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning when Jamie Pollard singled and Kluesner reached on an error. They scored when Kaylor singled to right-center to make it 7-1.
 
UPike plated four in the third inning. It began when Horn walked, stole second and scored on a single by McClellan. Pollard singled and both scored on a hit by Kluesner, who scored when Dunlap reached on an error.
 
The Bears wrapped up scoring for the Bears with two more in the fourth. Case, who started scoring with the homer, ended it with a two-run double. Jones reached on a double and Addison Johnson, a pinch-runner, scored on the hit.
 
Union scored twice in the fifth when Merritt doubled to center to score two.
 
C.J. Alincic went the distance to improve to 5-6 on the season.