WINSTON SALEM, N.C. --  UVa-Wise committed a trio of errors which led to five unearned runs as the Cavaliers lost 9-5 at Winston-Salem State Wednesday. David McLemore picked up the mound win for the Rams as he tossed five innings of three-hit one-run ball before turning the game over to the bullpen.

UVa-Wise (11-13) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Tye Marshall singled home Marcus Elmore. The Cavs tried to score a second run in the inning when the Rams lost the ball behind the mound but, McLemore recovered and fired home to record the final out of the frame.

Winston-Salem State (11-13) took advantage of UVa-Wise's second mistake of the day in the home half of the inning to take a lead it would never relinquish. After an error, the Rams plated two runs when Michael McNamara hit a ball into right field after being deflected by first baseman Steven Klaiber.

Winston-Salem State took the lead on the play but the inning should have ended as the runner on first base, Lan Steiner, had to pause to see if the line drive was caught. Ryan Dickt fielded the ball and fired into Marshall to get the force out for the inning's second out.

The Rams would build their lead to 5-1 by the top of the sixth inning on a two-run homer by Randy Norris and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Orlando Cannon.

Elmore would cut into the lead in the visiting sixth when his run-scoring double allowed Dickt to score. The centerfielder scored his second run of the day on a Ben Coffman RBI single.

With its lead cut to 5-3, Winston-Salem State put the game away in the home half of the frame.

The Rams would score three runs on a single hit as the hosts took advantage of an error, two stolen bases and two walks in the big inning.

Winston-Salem State tacked on a ninth run in the seventh inning on an Ivan Icuna hit to take a 9-3 lead to the eighth.

UVa-Wise mounted a rally in the eighth as Elmore scored his third run of the day on a sacrifice fly by Marshall before Klaiber rushed home on a wild pitch.

After cutting the lead to 9-5, the Cavs had a chance to do more damage in the frame but the visitors would strand two runners ending the threat.

In effort to get numerous pitchers innings, UVa-Wise tossed six pitchers in the contest.

Elmore finished the game 3-5 with three runs scored and an RBI in defeat. The Cavs return to league play Friday when Shepherd visits Stallard Field for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.