PIKEVILLE, Ky. – Five players recorded multiple-hit games to give the University of Pikeville a 9-2 win in the opening game of an important series with St. Andrews University on Friday afternoon at the W.C. Hambley Athletics Complex.
 
Catcher Tanner Gerosa and third baseman Mason Melton, hitting at the top of the order, had three hits apiece for the Bears, who improved to 17-18 on the season and 11-11 in the AAC.
 
Center fielder Riley Paulino, shortstop Francis Subero and second baseman Gavin Fraser each had two hits in the win.
 
Meanwhile, hurler Isaac Berry went eight strong innings to improve to 4-2 on the season. He scattered three hits and allowed only one earned run while striking out four.
 
The Knights plated single runs in the first and third innings to take a lead. Shortstop Cesar Morillo reached on a leadoff error and scored when Aiden Wilson grounded out in the first.
 
In the third, catcher Will Benjamin reached on an infield single and his courtesy runner, Caden Santucci, scored on a ground out.
 
The Bears began their rally with a run in the bottom of the third. Catcher Tanner Gerosa doubled to left-center and advanced to third on an error. His courtesy runner, Cole Fowler, scored on a sacrifice fly by center fielder Riley Paulino.
 
They evened the score in the fifth. Second baseman Gavin Fraser walked and later scored on a single by third baseman Mason Melton.
 
A three-run sixth put the Bears in front for good. First baseman Marques Richards led off with a single, followed by a walk by shortstop Francis Subero. Both scored when Fraser's sacrifice bunt was thrown into left field to make it 4-2.
 
A single by Paulino delivered Fraser to make it 5-2.
 
In the seventh, back-to-back walks by Subero and Fraser set up an RBI single by Gerosa to move the lead to 6-2.
 
In the eighth, a sacrifice fly by right fielder Austin Gurney scored Paulino, and that was followed by a two-run home run to the center field bleachers by designated hitter Garren Gledhill to make it 9-2.