PIKEVILLE, Ky. - Bears baseball split a doubleheader against (RV) Milligan Friday afternoon. Game three between UPIKE and Milligan will take place Saturday at noon at Johnnie LeMaster Field.
Game 1: UPIKE 5, Milligan 3
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Bears took advantage of some errors by the Buffaloes. Cam Revolt led off and reached via error, then advanced to second two batters later after a single by Austin Gurney. With two on and one out, Garren Gledhill doubled down the left field line, scoring Revolt and Gurney and putting the Bears in the lead.
Connor Moody checked in as a courtesy runner and scored after Tanner Gerosa sent a fastball fair down the left field line. The Bears scored three in the bottom of the eighth and lead 5-3 heading into the ninth.
The Buffaloes put two runners on in the top of the ninth, but Richtter Castillo held strong and secured the win with a strikeout to end game one. Castillo pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing one run (earned) on three hits and four strikeouts while improving to 3-0 on the season.
Isaac Berry got the start on the mound for the Bears and had a great outing. Berry threw 99 pitches over 6.2 innings of work, allowing two runs (both earned) on eight hits and four strikeouts. Berry also made a nifty pick off in the top of the first that took away a MU scoring chance.
Game 2: Milligan 7, UPIKE 2
UPIKE struck first in game two after back-to-back singles by Mason Melton, Riley Paulino, and Revolt. Revolt and Paulino would advance to second and third, respectively, after a well-executed sacrifice bunt by Noah Brooks. Back-to-back strikeouts would leave them stranded, however, which proved costly in the next inning.
The Bears committed two errors, allowed two walks and let the Buffaloes tap the dish six times in the top of the fourth. The Bears had another scoring chance in the bottom of the fourth after Cole Fowler was hit by a pitch in the leadoff spot. Francis Subero then reached base after a fieler's choice retired Fowler. Rob Gurney walked to put two on with one out, but just like the third inning, back-to-back outs saw the runners left stranded.
Milligan scored one more in the top of the fifth and the Bears countered with one run of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Milligan's big fourth inning proved to be too much for the Bears to overcome and the Buffaloes took game two and leveled the series at 1-1.
#BearDown
