LEBANON, Tenn. – Cumberland scored four times in the first and once in the third, but the University of Pikeville posted three runs in its final two at-bats en route to a 9-6 victory over the Phoenix in baseball action Friday afternoon at Ernest L. Stockton Field-Woody Hunt Stadium.

The two teams conclude the series Saturday with a Noon doubleheader.

The Bears (12-9, 2-2 Mid-South) scored three times in the top of the first, but Cumberland answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, including a leadoff homer from Nick McGrew, his third of the season. Mike Melendez drove in a run with a single, Josh Croft came across on a wild pitch and Hector Viera’s sacrifice fly plated Melendez for a 4-3 CU lead.

Croft doubled and Melendez singled to start the third inning and Ryan Dickison’s sac fly made it 5-3 for the home team, but Pikeville tied the game in the fourth on a two-run homer from Jacob DiThomas.

Anthony Roberts’ solo homer down the leftfield line with one out in the fifth gave the Bears a 6-5 edge, but Jarrett Plunkett’s solo homer to left with two outs in the sixth knotted the score at six.

Connor Osborne’s pinch-hit two-run single in the eighth put Pikeville ahead for good and the visitors added an insurance run in the ninth on a wild pitch.

Dalton Dahley (3-3) picked up the win for the Bears, allowing six runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings. He walked three and struck out four, giving way to Logan Sales, who posted his third save with 1.1 scoreless frames.

Cumberland started Stephen Fischer (6-1) collected his first loss of the year, giving up eight runs on 11 hits in seven-plus innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out four. Melendez got the final six outs, allowing a run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

McGrew, Croft and Melendez each registered two hits for the Phoenix and Croft scored twice, but CU was just 3-for-13 with runners in base in the loss.

Scottie Whitaker singled and Travis Haen doubled to start the game for Pikeville and an infield single by Josh Bailey got the Bears on the board. Erik Manning’s RBI single made it 2-0 and a two-out single by Jay Vincent gave Pikeville a 3-0 lead after a half inning.

Cumberland came right back, starting with the solo homer by McGrew. Gabe Lares and Croft both singled and Melendez’s RBI single cut the deficit to 3-2. Dickison walked, loading the bases, and a wild pitch tied the game at three. Two batters later Viera’s sac fly made it 4-3 after one inning.