NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The University of Pikeville softball team wrapped up its spring break trip with three straight wins.
 
The Bears were scheduled to play Centenary (La.) College on Monday, but with the forecast calling for rain, they played on Sunday evening with the Bears picking up a 17-1 win. On Tuesday, UPike posted two more wins, knocking off Penn State Hazleton and Penn State Beaver by identical scores of 9-1.
 
UPike is now 9-8 on the season and will return home on Saturday to host Milligan (Tenn.) University in an AAC doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Paul Butcher Field.
 
UPike 17, Centenary 1: UPike scored at least four runs in four of their five trips to the plate to pick up the win.
 
Kaden Dunlap was 2 for 2 with a double, four runs batted in and two runs scored. Maddie Horn had a hit, an RBI and scored three times, while Maria McClellan doubled, scored twice and drove one in.
 
Sam Case singled and scored twice, Olivia Metcalfe singled, drove in two and scored, Cassie Finley tripled and scored, Addison Johnson and Emma Muncy each singled and scored and Balea McCoy and Claudia Maness both singled and drove one in.
 
The beneficiary of the offensive explosion was Sara Bays, who improved to 1-0 with the complete game. She struck out four and walked only one.
 
UPike 9, Penn State Hazleton 1: The Bears pounded out 13 hits en route to a win in Tuesday's opener. Leading 3-1 heading to the bottom of the sixth, the Bears ended the game with six in the frame, keyed by an inside-the-park grand slam by Muncy.  
 
Quick had three hits, including a triple, with two RBI and a run scored. Horn had two hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Clara Blair had a pair of hits and scored.
 
Case doubled, scored and drove one in, Dani Crum had a hit and scored three times, Johnson singled and scored and McClellan tripled and drove in a run. Dunlap also singled.
 
AAC Pitcher of the Week Rylee Carter pitched all six innings, allowing only three hits and striking out six to improve to 3-4.
 
UPike 9, Penn State Beaver 1: UPike scored four times in both the first and second innings to cruise to a win in the finale.
 
McClellan had two hits, including an inside-the-park home run, drove in four and scored three times. Johnson had two hits, drove in a run and scored. Case tripled and scored twice, Quick doubled, scored one and drove one in, while Horn doubled, drove in two and scored.
 
Bays went all five for the Bears to improve to 2-0. She struck out three and scattered two hits.