WISE - - Shepherd University stymied the UVa-Wise bats as the visitors posted a doubleheader sweep in the inaugural Mountain East Conference games at Stallard Field on Saturday.  The Rams scored seven runs over the final three innings of the opener to break scoreless tie in a 7-0 win before earning a 1-0 win in the finale without the benefit of an RBI.

UVa-Wise (1-5, 0-2) starter Caleb Daniels and Shepherd (4-3, 2-0) starter Paul Hvozdovic exchanged zeros through the first four innings of game one.  The Cavaliers stranded three base runners over the course of the first two innings while the Rams did not record a hit until the top of the fourth, an inning that saw Shepherd leave two men on base.

Bryce Shemer broke the tie in the top of the fifth inning as he drove home Jacob Carney with an RBI single to centerfield.  Carney had walked and stole second base to put himself in scoring position.  Carney's stolen base was one of two he had in the game; as a team, the Rams swiped eight bags.

The visitors would put the game out of reach over the next two innings with three runs in the sixth and seventh frame.  Ryan Messina was the only Ram to have more than one hit in the game as he finished the contest 2-3 with a run scored.  Carney added three RBIs in the win and teammates Matt Wilson and Spencer Wolfe each finished with an RBI.

Hvozdovic fired six innings of shutout ball to record his first win (1-0) of the season.  He allowed just two hits, struck out six, and walked one in his outing.

Daniels (0-3) was the tough luck loser as he allowed just one earned run in 5.1 innings.  The Norton, Va. native allowed four hits, struck out four, and walked two in his home debut.

Superb pitching was the story of game two as the Shepherd duo of Ryan Pansch and Sam Crater outdueled the UVa-Wise pair of Alex Javins and Griffin Duy 1-0. 

The lone run in the game came in the third inning when Kyle Porter raced home on a wild pitch from Javins with two outs in the inning.  Javins had appeared to be on the cusp of getting out the inning as he picked off Michael Lott who was attempting to steal third with no outs in the frame.  Javins then retired Wolfe on a fly ball to center that allowed a pair of runners to move to second and third before uncorking the wild pitch.

UVa-Wise would have chances to tie the game or take the lead as the host stranded eight runners in the game.  The Cavs best scoring chance came in the fourth inning when Austin Johnson lined out sharply to center with two outs to leave the bases loaded. 

Pansch earned the mound victory (1-1) as struck out nine in six shutout innings, Crater recorded his first save of the year with a scoreless seventh.  The loss was pinned on Javins who allowed two hits in three innings of work and the one run.  Duy tossed four shutout innings of relief to keep his club in the contest.

The series will conclude with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon.

UVa-Wise (1-5, 0-2) starter Caleb Daniels and Shepherd (4-3, 2-0) starter Paul Hvozdovic exchanged zeros through the first four innings of game one.  The Cavaliers stranded three base runners over the course of the first two innings while the Rams did not record a hit until the top of the fourth, an inning that saw Shepherd leave two men on base.

Bryce Shemer broke the tie in the top of the fifth inning as he drove home Jacob Carney with an RBI single to centerfield.  Carney had walked and stole second base to put himself in scoring position.  Carney's stolen base was one of two he had in the game; as a team, the Rams swiped eight bags.

The visitors would put the game out of reach over the next two innings with three runs in the sixth and seventh frame.  Ryan Messina was the only Ram to have more than one hit in the game as he finished the contest 2-3 with a run scored.  Carney added three RBIs in the win and teammates Matt Wilson and Spencer Wolfe each finished with an RBI.

Hvozdovic fired six innings of shutout ball to record his first win (1-0) of the season.  He allowed just two hits, struck out six, and walked one in his outing.

Daniels (0-3) was the tough luck loser as he allowed just one earned run in 5.1 innings.  The Norton, Va. native allowed four hits, struck out four, and walked two in his home debut.

Superb pitching was the story of game two as the Shepherd duo of Ryan Pansch and Sam Crater outdueled the UVa-Wise pair of Alex Javins and Griffin Duy 1-0. 

The lone run in the game came in the third inning when Kyle Porter raced home on a wild pitch from Javins with two outs in the inning.  Javins had appeared to be on the cusp of getting out the inning as he picked off Michael Lott who was attempting to steal third with no outs in the frame.  Javins then retired Wolfe on a fly ball to center that allowed a pair of runners to move to second and third before uncorking the wild pitch.

UVa-Wise would have chances to tie the game or take the lead as the host stranded eight runners in the game.  The Cavs best scoring chance came in the fourth inning when Austin Johnson lined out sharply to center with two outs to leave the bases loaded. 

Pansch earned the mound victory (1-1) as struck out nine in six shutout innings, Crater recorded his first save of the year with a scoreless seventh.  The loss was pinned on Javins who allowed two hits in three innings of work and the one run.  Duy tossed four shutout innings of relief to keep his club in the contest.

The series will conclude with a doubleheader tomorrow starting at noon.