Box Score GREENVILLE, Tenn. – UVa-Wise softball earned a 6-4 win over Kutztown University Friday evening at Tusculum College's Pioneer Classic in Greenville, Tennessee, to improve to 3-0 on the early season. The Cavaliers (3-0) used a six-run first inning to defeat the Golden Bears (2-2) and held on as Kutztown left a total of eight runners stranded.
 
Leadoff hitter sophomore outfielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) advanced to first base off of a fielding error by Kutztown's shortstop before reaching third on a pair of singles by freshman outfielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) and senior outfielder Mindy Combs (Lebanon, Va.). Millard scored as freshman right-handed pitcher Delany Turner (Leesburg, Va.) hit a RBI single to left center field, giving the Cavs a 1-0 lead with no outs in the first.
 
With the bases loaded, senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) was walked by Kutztown's Danielle Amato, allowing Bennett to score. A RBI triple was hit to center field by senior shortstop Erika McLaughlin (Haymarket, Va.), giving the Cavs a 5-0 lead as Combs, Turner and Hernandez all reached home off of the play.
 
Senior first baseman Lindsey Packard (Leesburg, Va.) struck out swinging on the next at bat but advanced to first base off of a wild pitch as McLaughlin stayed at third. Junior third baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) lined out to the shortstop and into a double play with Packard getting the second out of the inning. McLaughlin was finally brought home on a RBI single to right center field by sophomore catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.).
 
Millard fouled out to left field to end the inning but the Cavs had already mounted a 6-0 lead going into the second inning. UVa-Wise earned five hits and six RBIs in the opening inning.
 
A big third inning got the Golden Bears back into the game as Kutztown's Nicki Mann got an RBI single down the left field line that allowed Tamara Jennings to score after the play was set up by a Sara Keeny double. Kutztown then got three consecutive RBI singles from Danielle Sienko, Savannah Nierintz and Gabby Tareila, bringing home Keeny, Mann and Sienko. With only one out recorded in the inning, the Cavs did not let the Golden Bears score again. A McLaughlin to Hernandez fielder's choice got Tareila out at second before Kutztown's Blayse Cholish lined out to right field to end the inning.
 
With the Cavs leading 6-4, Kutztown had a runner in scoring position on second base in both the top of the fourth and the fifth but left two runners stranded in each inning.
 
After a fly out by Sienko, the Golden Bears got a double from Nierintz in the top of the seventh. However, UVa-Wise starting pitcher Turner retired the last two batters on ground outs to McLaughlin, securing the Cavs win.
 
Turner improved to 2-0 on the season with her seven innings of work, while Amato took the loss for Kutztown with six runs given up in one and a third inning pitched.
 
McLaughlin led the Cavs at the plate with three RBIs, a double and a triple as Combs earned three hits of her own.
 
The Golden Bears recorded 12 hits in the game and were led by Nierintz who had three hits, including a RBI and two doubles. Kutztown's Mann also finished with three hits, a RBI and a double.
 
The Cavs will continue play at the Pioneer Classic with a pair of games Saturday. UVa-Wise will go up against Goldey-Beacom College at 11 a.m. followed by a matchup with Ursuline College at 1 p.m.
 
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