NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The University of Pikeville softball team began its spring break action with two games against NCAA Division II teams.
 
UPike fell to West Virginia State University 11-9 in eight innings and Lees McRae (N.C.) College 9-2.
 
The Bears are now 5-7 and will continue their play on Monday at 1 p.m. when they meet Centenary (La.) College, and then play Malone (Ohio) University at 5 p.m.
 
WVSU 11, UPike 9: The Yellow Jackets scored four times in the top of the eighth. The Bears mounted a rally but came up two runs short.
 
The game was scoreless into the third, when WVSU scored in the top half and the Bears posted three in the bottom. The teams reversed course in the fourth, with the Yellow Jackets scoring three times and the Bears one.
 
After a scoreless fifth, the Jackets took a 6-4 lead before the Bears scored in the bottom half. Again, the teams flipped the script in the sixth, with WVSU scoring a single run while the Bears rallied to tie it at 7-7 after seven.
 
UPike banged out 12 hits, led by freshman catcher Dani Crum's three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored. Shortstop Sam Case, designated hitter Harlee Quick and right fielder Maddie Horn had two hits each. Horn doubled, drove in a run and scored one, Quick had an RBI and Case scored a run.
 
Addison Johnson had a hit, two RBIs and scored while Chloe Calton and Clara Blair each had hits.
 
Brianna Johnson (3-3) went the distance for the Bears, striking out four.
 
Lees McRae 9, UPike 2: A two-run double by Quick put the Bears on top 2-1 in the first, but the Bobcats scored four times in the second and fifth innings for the win.
 
Crum and Johnson had two hits each for the Bears, scoring the runs on Quick's double.
 
Case, Horn and Calton also had hits.
 
Rylee Carter pitched all seven innings for the Bears, recording three strikeouts.