HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- It took 21 tries but Miles finally secured its first win over Alabama Huntsville with a doubleheader split Wednesday afternoon at Charger Park. The Golden Bears (8-11) won the opener 8-3 before dropping the nightcap 5-4. Kolby Brannon (three hits, four runs batted in) was the hitting star while Christopher Elias pitched his team-high second complete game of the season in the historic win over the Chargers (9-6).

GAME 1: Miles 8, UAH 3

Miles never trailed, tagging Chargers starter Ian McCoy (0-1) for five runs in three innings. Xavius Burden has started to come out his early-season malaise and made UAH pay with RBI singles in his first two at-bats to get the Golden Bears on the board. Jacob Bisharat, Alex Bentley and Brannon also drove in runs in the third to stake Miles to a 5-0 advantage.

UAH scored twice in the third but the Golden Bears gave themselves more cushion in the fifth. Bisharat and Bentley led off the inning with singles against reliever Tristan McAnally. Then Brannon blasted a triple to the game in right center, clearing the bases for a five-run lead. He would score on a Brandon Conner sacrifice fly to push the lead to 8-2. That was plenty for Elias (2-3), who allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out two to grab the win. He retired eight of the last nine batters he faced, giving up his lone walk with two outs in the sixth.

GAME 2: UAH 5, Miles 4

Miles nearly pulled off the doubleheader sweep, loading the bases in the top of the seventh but not able to score. With one out, Trevor Bates reached on an error and Reeves Brashear followed with a single. Ryan Bargery would ay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over and Burden would get by a pitch to load the bases. Jacob Bisharat would work the count full but UAH reliever Dylan Murphy painted the outside corner for strike three to end the game and notch his fifth save of the season.

The Chargers scored three times in the first and led 4-2 going into the fourth. Bisharat would score on a Brannon sacrifice fly. With two outs and runners on the corners, Conner stole second base and Bentley broke for home on the throw down to second.He scored UAH tried to throw him out at home and the Golden Bears were back even at 4. But the tie was short lived as Drake Hollingsworth hit the fourth pitch in the bottom of the fourth out to right off Matthew White (0-1) for the winning margin. 

UP NEXT: Miles is scheduled to play a doubleheader Saturday at Concordia-Alabama. First pitch is scheduled for noon.