PIKEVILLE, Ky. - CIU baseball entered Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play on Friday following their first win of the season earlier in the week. The Rams came close to making a comeback in game one versus AAC newcomer Pikeville (Ky.) but ultimately dropped both games on the afternoon. CIU is now 1-10 and 0-2 in AAC play.
Game One
Pikeville 6 CIU 5: Despite getting a runner on every inning, the Rams went scoreless through the first four innings. Pikeville pushed a run across in the second, third, and fourth to take the lead but extended it to 5-0 after a two-run home run. CIU struck back in the top of the sixth after Aiden Pridgen got hit by a pitch to plate their first contest run. They added two more in the seventh after a Jackson Petisce two-RBI double and two more in the eighth to tie the game 5-5. The Bears managed to scratch another run in the bottom of the inning to lead 6-5, and three consecutive Ram outs prevented the comeback.
Box Score Highlights:
Game Two
Pikeville 17 CIU 4: Pikeville carried their momentum into game two and scored in the first three innings to take a 9-0 lead. CIU's first runs came in the top of the fourth after Emmanuel Maldonado and Graham Peeler pushed two runners across. The Bears added four more before the Rams scored two in the sixth off a Shane Hammonds triple and Collin Greer groundout, but Pikeville responded with four of their own to lead 17-4 before the final inning. Jennings Green scored on a SAC fly from Collin Lopez, and James Lovera scored on a wild pitch, but two strikeouts ended the game in favor of Pikeville.
Box Score Highlights:
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Lovera led the team with two hits, with four others collecting one.
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Lovera, Maldonado, and Hammonds recorded extra-base hits for the Rams.
Up Next: CIU closes out the series tomorrow, Feb. 17, at 12 p.m. EST against the Bears.
