Senior right fielder Cole Fowler sent them home happy on Friday, ending a 12-inning marathon with a grand slam home run to give the University of Pikeville a 9-7 win over Columbia International (S.C.) University.
 
Fowler's homer ended a game that started in 62-degree weather under overcast skies but ended 3:45 later with temperatures in the 40s under a steady drizzle.
 
UPike (16-11 overall, 8-8 in the AAC) tied the game in the bottom of the ninth when right fielder Riley Paulino singled in courtesy runner Connor Moody, who was on for catcher Tyler Brook who had opened the inning with a single to tie the game at 4.
 
It stayed that way until the 12^th, when the Rams scored three times and appeared to have taken control.
 
The Rams loaded the bases with the first three batters on two hit-by-pitches and a bunt single. Maddux Smith, who led the inning off, scored on a wild pitch to break the tie, and one out later, Aiden Pomnitz also scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-4.
 
With two outs, a walk drawn by Kai Smith scored Cooper Dyar to make it 7-4.
 
It didn't take long for the Bears to pose a threat in the bottom half. Walks to Noah Brooks and Mason Melton around Garren Gledhill getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases with none out.
 
Pinch hitter Reed Sutton singled to right field to score Brooks and keep the bases loaded, which brought Fowler to the plate to deliver his grand slam to win the game for the Bears.
 
The Bears had scored single runs in each of the first two innings.
 
In the first Paulino singled to center, stole second and scored on a single by Gledhill. In the second, consecutive doubles by first baseman Joe Gagnon and Fowler made it 2-0.
 
UPike added a fifth-inning run when Brook blasted a solo home run to left-center to make it 3-0.
 
The Rams got back in it in the top of the sixth when Aiden Pomnitz followed a leadoff single by Ian D'Amico with a two-run homer to left-center to make it 3-2.
 
CIU took the lead in the top of the eighth with two more runs. Walks by Corbin Wright, Pomnitz and Jennings Greene loaded the bases. A wild pitch plated Jackson to tie the game and a groundout brought Pomnitz in with the go-ahead tally.
 
Fowler had three hits to go with his five RBI to lead the Bears, who had 13 safeties in the game. Paulino and Gledhill had two hits, drove in a run and scored one each. Gognon had two doubles and scored.
 
Noah Brooks and Mason Melton each had hits.
 
The winning pitcher was freshman left-hander Jake Maniago, who recorded the last out of the 12^th and earned his first career win.
 
Teague Van Dyke gave the Bears six solid innings. Cole Carmichael pitched 4-2/3 innings of relief, striking out eight and throwing 84 pitches before Maniago came on behind him.
 
The Bears and Rams will wrap up their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at noon at Johnnie LeMaster Field.