MONTREAT, N.C. - Bears baseball won its third AAC conference series of the season after sweeping a doubleheader against Montreat Saturday.
UPIKE improves to 15-18 (10-11 AAC) following Saturday's victories over the Cavaliers. The Bears will return home Tuesday for a 3:00 p.m. game against Lindsey Wilson College.
Game 1: UPIKE 13, Montreat 0
The Bears opened the scoring in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly by Noah Brooks, then blew the game open in the second. A combination of three hits, two wild pitches, a walk, and an error equaled five more runs for the Bears.
UPIKE continued to pour it on in the third. Marques Richards led off the inning with a home run, then Mason Melton singled to right two batters later to put the Bears up 8-0. Later in the frame, Austin Gurney mashed his fifth home run of the season, and second in as many games, over the fence in right to put the Bears up 12-0.
Game one was capped off with an RBI single by Cam Revolt that put the Bears ahead 13-0. UPIKE run-ruled Montreat in game one.
Kameron Brodeur made his first start on the mound since March 1st. Brodeur pitched 3.0 innings, allowing zero runs on three hits and two strikeouts. Dawson Schultz was credited with his first win of his UPIKE career.
Game 2: UPIKE 11, Montreat 6
An RBI single and a three-run blast put the Cavaliers ahead 4-0 in the bottom of the second, but the Bears punched back in the third. With the bases loaded, Riley Paulino and Brooks showed great plate discipline and drew back-to-back walks that turned into runs. Revolt tapped the dish to cut Montreat's lead to one after a groundout by Austin Gurney.
Francis Subero led off the fourth with a single, then Melton and Tanner Gerosa drew walks to load the bases. With the bases loaded and one out, Revolt wore a fastball to tie the game and Paulino flew out to center for a sacrifice flyout to give the Bears their first lead of game two.
Their lead was short-lived, however, as the Cavaliers tied the game with an RBI single, then retook the lead after a fielding error. The Bears were retired in order in the fifth and left Subero stranded at first in the sixth, setting up for a dramatic finish in the seventh.
Trailing 6-5 with the series on the line, the Bears two, three, and four hitters were due up. Revolt led off the inning with a solo home run to tie the game. Paulino walked, advanced to third after a single by Brooks, then scored after a sacrifice fly by Austin Gurney.
With two outs, Brooks standing on third, and a 7-6 lead, Richards homered for the second time in the series to put UPIKE up 9-6. Three batters later, Revolt recorded his third RBI of the inning with a two-run double to make it 11-6. Richtter Castillo retired the Cavaliers in order in the bottom of the seventh and UPIKE won the game and the series.
Castillo was credited with the win after 2.0 innings of work, during which he allowed zero runs, one hit, and one strikeout. Castillo is now 4-1 on the season.
#BearDown
