HATTIESBURG, Miss. - University of Pikeville baseball opened their 2025 season with a 13-3 loss to William Carey Friday evening.  

Cam Revolt opened the game with a lead-off double down the left-field line to get into scoring position early. Revolt would advance to third but was left stranded. One inning later, catcher Tanner Gerosa drew a two-out walk but was also left on base. UPIKE's next baserunner came in the top of the fourth after Austin Gurney hit a one-out single to center. Despite getting some early action on the bases, the Bears' run support struggled and came up empty through four innings. 

After three and a half scoreless innings, William Carey blew the game open in the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff walk by WCU's Bridley Thomas, Eli Collins sent one over the left field wall to put the Crusaders up 2-0. Three at-bats later, WCU had runners on second and third with one out. They would extend their lead to 4-0 after a triple to right. The Crusader would tack on four more runs and held a commanding 8-0 heading into the fifth inning.  

The Bears got one back in the fifth that got started after Francis Subero belted a three-bagger to the gap in left field. Subero tapped the dish one at-bat later after a sacrifice fly by newcomer Cole Fowler. The Crusaders countered with four more runs in the bottom of the fifth. 

Austin Gurney reached base for the second time in the top of the sixth with a two-out walk and then advanced to second after William Kelley was hit by a pitch. With two on and two out, Garren Gledhill recorded his first hit as a Bear with a two-run double to left center to cut the WCU lead to 12-3. An inning and a half later, William Carey put the game away with a walk-off single. 

UPIKE dips to 0-1 on the season following Friday afternoon's loss. Games two and three between the Bears and Crusaders will be on Saturday, with the first pitch of the doubleheader set for 2:00 p.m. EST.  

#BearDown