MONTREAT, N.C. - Bears baseball opened their AAC road series against Montreat with a 16-15 loss.
Cam Revolt got the scoring started in the top of the first. Revolt sent a fastball over the fence in right field in just the second at-bat of the game and put the Bears ahead 1-0 early.
The Bears next scoring chance came two innings later. Tanner Gerosa singled to right, and then Revolt reached via fielder's choice. Riley Paulino singled to right and then Noah Brooks drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. The Bears came up empty handed after a fielder's choice out at second.
After stranding three in the previous inning, the Bears offense got going in the fourth. Garren Gledhill lead off the inning with a home run, then Francis Subero doubled to left two at-bats later.
Subero scored one at-bat later after Mason Melton singled. Melton took advantage of a Cavaliers' throwing error and got all the way to third. Melton tapped the dish to put the Bears up 4-0 after Gerosa recorded his second hit of the game.
Connor Moody checked into the game as a courtesy runner for Gerosa and quickly advanced to second after Revolt single to left. Moody reached third after a wild pitch, then scored after Noah Brooks single to left. The Bears scored four runs in the fourth and led 5-0.
Subero put the Bears up 6-0 in the top of the fifth with a solo shot to right field. The Cavaliers would not go away quietly, though. In the bottom of the fifth, Montreat recorded eight hits, were hit by pitches twice, and scored eight runs.
Montreat extended their lead to 9-6 in the seventh, but the Bears nullified it with one run in the eighth. With one out, Gerosa reached after being hit by a pitch and was quickly subbed out for Moody at first. Revolt doubled to put Moody in scoring position, and then Moody scored after Paulino grounded out 6-3. The Cavaliers plated three more runs in the bottom of the eighth and led 12-7 heading into the ninth.
After Montreat plated eight runs in the fifth, the Bears returned the favor in the top of the ninth with eight runs of their own. Gledhill got the rally going with a one-out walk, then Marques Richards was hit by a pitch, and then Subero walked to load the bases. With two outs and the bases juiced, Gerosa singled to score Gledhill and Richards. The next three at-bats ended in free bases and two more runs for the Bears.
Trailing 12-11 with the bases loaded and two outs, Austin Gurney stepped up to the plate with a chance to put the Bears ahead. He did just that. Gurney hit a grand slam over the center field wall to put the Bears ahead 15-12.
The three-run lead proved to not be big enough, as the Cavaliers tied it at 15-15 to send the game into extra innings. After holding the Bears scoreless in the top of the tenth, Montreat won the game after a bases-loaded, hit by pitch to win the game 16-15.
Bears baseball drops to 13-18 (8-11 AAC) following Friday's defeat. UPIKE and Montreat will settle the series Saturday with a doubleheader, with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
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