PIKEVILLE, Ky.- The Blue Raider baseball team fell 5-4 in a single-game match-up to the University of Pikeville (Ky.) Bears Tuesday afternoon on Johnnie LeMaster Field. 

Matt Schultz, Andres Duran, Bryce Sidler, and Jackson Steele led the offense with two hits apiece. Steele picked up three RBIs from a three-run home run, accompanied by a Maddox Tarrence RBI. 

Clint Chappell got the start today, pitching 4.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, with eight strikeouts and four walks. Spencer Garner (0-2) picked up today's loss, pitching a total of 1.0 inning and giving up one run on two hits. Garner had zero strikeouts and zero walks.

Lindsey Wilson fell behind early in the bottom of the third inning as Pikeville took a 2-0 advantage. Duran led off the top of the fourth with a single to right field, followed by a Sidler single to put runners on the base pads with no outs. After back-to-back flyouts, Steele stepped into the batter's box and connected on a three-run home run over the left field wall, to hand LWC a 3-2 lead headed into the bottom of the inning. The Bears tied the game in the fifth before adding a run in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 5-3 lead.

Diego Andino led off the top of the ninth frame drawing a walk as Tray Price stepped to the plate representing the tying run. Price singled to left field, advancing Andino to second, as the go-ahead run stepped to the plate with no outs. Steele reached on a fielder's choice as Price was thrown out at second, and Andino advanced to third, leaving the Blue Raiders with runners on the corners with one out. Tarrence entered the game to pinch hit for Amir Pineiro and connected on a SAC-fly to center, scoring Andino from third and cutting the deficit to 5-4. Santiago Gonzalez stepped into the box to pinch hit for Braxton Smith, and singled to right field, advancing Steele to second as Schultz stepped to the plate. Schultz singled to left field, loading the bases for Chance Stayton. Stayton hit a ground ball to the Bears shortstop who threw it to second for the force out to end the game.

The Blue Raider Baseball team will be back in action on Friday and Saturday in Egnew Park for a Mid-South Conference three-game series versus Georgetown College (Ky.). The first pitch will be thrown at 3 pm CST on Friday with game times at Noon and 3 pm CST on Saturday. Stay tuned to @LWCAthletics on X and lindseyathletics.com for any weather related schedule changes.