Baseball Scores 23 Total Runs But Splits Series With Pikeville

(Pikeville, KY)-- Fans watching the Cougar baseball team in action today likely had deja vu, as day two of their weekend series against Pikeville University had many similarities to day one, and saw the two teams each take two games from the four game series.

In Game 1:  After two scoreless innings, Cleary exploded for 5 runs in the top of the 3rd, starting with a Derek Zavala double to left field that scored Jesnel Soto.  Kyle Miazgowic doubled home Zavala to make it 2-0.  After loading the bases, Aaron Dyke drew an RBI walk that scored Miazgowicz.  The next batter was Jeremy VanOosterum who doubled home Spencer Jamieson and Ryan Kadoguchi to make it 5-0, and the final run of the inning came from Nicklas Koan who singled home Aaron Dyke to give the Cougars a 6-0 lead.  The Bears scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the 3rd, and Lucas Withers comfortably pitched the rest of the 7 inning game without allowing another run.  Cleary scored 5 more runs, thanks to a Billy Flohr double that scored Jamieson, an Aaron Dyke single that scored Kadoguchi, and a bases clearing double from VanOosterum that scored Dyke, Kadoguchi, and Jamieson.
Withers pitched a complete game, allowing 1 run on 1 hit, while striking out 4 to earn the victory.  Spencer Jamieson went 3/4 with 3 R, and Jeremy VanOosterum went 2/3 with 5 RBI.

In Game 2:  Just like in day one, Pikeville responded to their defeat in game one by jumping out to an early lead, as they scored 4 in the bottom of the 1st inning.  Ryan Kadoguchi got one back in the 2nd, when he singled VanOosterum home to make it 4-1.  Pikeville scored 2 more in the 2nd to take a 6-1 lead, but the Cougars would storm back in the 3rd, thanks to a VanOosterum bases loaded single that scored Spencer Jamieson.  The next batter was Aaron Dyke who drew a bases loaded walk, and Colton Fountain drew a bases loaded hit by pitch to narrow the deficit to 6-4.  Ryan Kadoguchi hit a fly ball to right that brought home VanOosterum, and Jesnel Soto singled home Dyke to tie the game at 6-6.  The next batter was Derek Zavala who grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Pikeville would score 3 more runs in the 3rd to retake the lead, but Cleary answered once again in the 4th to take the lead for the first time of the game.  After loading the bases, Colton Fountain drew a walk that scored Jamieson, and Kadoguchi singled home Aaron Dyke and Jeremy VanOosterum to make it 10-9.  A wild pitch brough Dominic Schweitzer home to tie the game, and another wild pitch scored Kadoguchi to give the Cougars an 11-10 lead.
Pikeville would answer once againscoring two runs in the bottom of the 4th to take the lead at 12-11, but Kadoguchi doubled home Aaron Dyke in the 5th to tie the game.  
The 6th and 7th innings saw the Cougars get runners into scoring position, but unable to capitalize.  In extra innings, and with the threat of a tie game due to darkness, Pikeville hit a leadoff triple to give themselves the chance to win the game.  Cleary would intentionally walk the bases loaded so as to have a force out at every base.  The next batter hit a ground ball to 1st base, whose throw home was unable to beat the runner, and the Bears earned a walk-off victory.

Cleary is now 4-4 overall, and will make a trip to Marion, North Carolina next weekend to take on nationally ranked Point Park University in a 4-game weekend series.