Baseball stays perfect behind long-ball onslaught

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - While the Union baseball team has shown major improvements across the board during a 5-0 start, its transformation into a power-hitting club has been perhaps the biggest surprise.

The offense carried the load with four home runs as the Bulldogs topped visiting Pikeville 13-9 on Tuesday. The win keeps the Bulldogs perfect through five games for the first time since 2011.

Logan Romasanta delivered the game's first RBI, kick-starting a three-run inning with a solo home run in the second. David Mitchell and Hazel Martinez then went back-to-back in the fourth inning, with Martinez's solo shot hitting the top of the left field wall before bouncing over the fence by mere inches.

Nick Martinez then completed the scoring with a two-run homer that put Union ahead 13-5 after seven innings. The Bulldogs now have nine home runs through five games, putting them on pace to hit 93 after hitting just 23 a season ago.

Romasanta and Mitchell both finished with three hits. Romasanta and Nick Martinez both scored three runs with Mitchell, Luke Leddington and both Martinez's driving in two runs for a Union team that finished the day with 15 hits.

The Bears made things interesting by plating four runs in the top of the eighth, before closer Zach Moore worked a second-consecutive 1-2-3 final to end the game. Moore has quickly established himself in the closer role, retiring the first six batters he's faced with four strikeouts to start the season.

Trevor Gould earned his second decision in as many games out of the bullpen, striking out two in one-and-two-thirds innings and escaping a runner-on-third, one-out jam unscathed after being inserted in the third inning.

Union hopes to continue its hot start this weekend with a pair of home doubleheaders against Cincinnati-Clermont. The matchups are currently scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday, though the Union softball team has already adjusted its weekend schedule for fear of inclement weather this weekend.