MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat baseball team opened a six-game homestand Friday afternoon with an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) clash against the University of Pikeville Bears. Beginning a three-game set at Newell Field, the hosts outlasted the visitors in a wild 10-inning contest, 16-15. With the victory, the Cavaliers improved to 15-20 (7-9 AAC) this season.
 
Pikeville (13-18, 8-11 AAC) began the matchup with the upper hand. The Bears launched a solo shot just two batters into the ballgame, and they tacked on four additional runs during the fourth. UPIKE eventually grew its lead to 6-0 thanks to another solo blast in the top of the fifth.
 
A trio of fifth-inning home runs helped the Cavs flip the script. Justin Austin put the home team on the board via a grand slam. Tommy Ramos launched a two-run rocket to left center, knotting the score at 6-6. Blake Watts later put Montreat on top via his two-run homer to left.
 
Manny Moore's RBI single in the seventh extended the hosts' lead out to 9-6. Pikeville pulled a run back in the top of the eighth, but Watts and Moore answered with two big knocks. Through eight frames, Montreat maintained a 12-7 advantage.
 
The Cavaliers' eight-run effort in the fifth wasn't the only eight-run half inning of the day. UPIKE erased its 12-7 deficit with eight runs during the top of the ninth. The Bears utilized two knocks, five walks and two hit batters to seize a 15-12 edge. All eight runs scored with two outs, and the last four came via a grand slam.
 
Montreat forced extra innings behind its fourth and fifth homers of the afternoon. Devon Smith crushed his first moonshot as a Cav, and Richard Matos Delacruz leveled the matchup at 15-all with his second home run of the campaign.
 
A walk and two errors loaded the bases for the home team in the bottom of the 10^th. Then, with the bases juiced, Dawson Bryant drew a hit-by-pitch to hand the Cavaliers a 16-15 walk-off victory.
 
Ten different Montreat batters combined for 18 hits on Friday. Watts, Moore and Kaden Ethier led the way with three knocks each. Seven Cavs tallied an RBI in the win as Watts and Austin paced the squad with four RBIs. Meanwhile, six different Cavaliers scored multiple runs.
 
Merritt Evans got the start on the mound for the hosts. He threw four innings before ceding way to Jayden Hughes and Trevor Laughlin, who each tossed two frames. Hunter Rast hurled 2/3 innings before Nick Kantzavelos picked up the win by throwing the final 1 1/3 innings.
 
"Today was a very stressful game," said head coach Jason Beck. "Both teams kept fighting to the end as we just couldn't put the game away. The guys battled, which I was proud of, and hopefully we can build off that for tomorrow and win the series."
 
Montreat and Pikeville play the final two games of their series tomorrow at Newell Field. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. in Montreat, N.C.