PIKEVILLE, Ky. - University of Pikeville baseball used a walk-off home run to win game one of a three-game AAC series over Union Commonwealth Friday afternoon at Johnnie LeMaster Field.  

Richtter Castillo allowed a lead off walk in the top of the ninth that proved to be a momentum-shifting moment in game. The lead-off walk was nullified after the Bears defense turned a 6-4-3 double play. Castillo sat down the next batter on strikes, setting up for a dramatic ending. 

Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Ian Setzer led off the final frame with a double down the left field line. Tanner Gerosa recorded a productive out with a sacrifice bunt, allowing Setzer to reach third with one out. Setzer tapped the dish two pitches later when Garren Gledhill flew out to center. With the score tied at 5-5 with the bases empty and two outs, Noah Brooks swung at the first pitch he saw and sent it over the fence in left field to end it.  

Union Commonwealth opened the scoring with a two-run blast in the second. UPIKE responded in the bottom of the second with a solo home run by Marques Richards. The Bears added three more runs after an RBI double by Setzer then a pair of RBI singles by Gerosa and Brooks.  

Brooks led the Bears at the plate with three hits and two RBIs. Gledhill, Gerosa, and Setzer all tied with two hits each. On the mound, Castillo improved to 7-1 on the year after pitching 3.0 innings of scoreless relief allowing no hits and striking out three.  

UPIKE has won five straight and twelve of its last thirteen games and are now 25-19 (16-12 AAC) on the season. The Bears and the Bulldogs will settle the series Saturday with a noon doubleheader at Johnnie LeMaster Field. UPIKE will also honor its 2025 senior class between games.  

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