Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – UVa-Wise softball split a pair of Mountain East Conference road games Wednesday at the University of Charleston. The Cavaliers (17-16, 7-5 MEC) were edged 9-8 by the host Golden Eagles (20-7, 9-3 MEC) in game one before claiming a 6-2 game two victory.
 
Another great game by redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) and a big fifth inning propelled the Cavs over Charleston in game two of the day.
 
Still scoreless after four innings of play, UVa-Wise began a two-out rally in the top of the fifth. Senior designated player Mindy Combs (Lebanon, Va.) doubled to right field for two RBI, bringing freshman catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.) and freshman left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) across the plate to give the Cavs a 2-0 lead. With bases loaded, senior shortstop Erika McLaughlin (Haymarket, Va.) was hit by a pitch for a RBI, allowing sophomore third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) to score. A single to right field by junior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) scored two more runs with Combs and Brandts reaching home, giving UVa-Wise a 5-0 advantage.
 
Charleston made it a 5-1 game in the bottom of the sixth when Carlson hit a solo home run on a line drive over the left field wall. The Cavs extended their lead back to five in the top of the seventh after a McLaughlin double to left field brought Combs across the plate.
 
The Golden Eagles were only able to plate one run in the bottom of the seventh on a Williams RBI single to right center field that scored pinch runner Ansley Warner, giving UVa-Wise the 6-2 victory.
 
Brandts (8-4) picked up her eighth win of the season as she went the distance for the Cavs, striking out five batters in the process. Rowe took the loss for the Golden Eagles after 4 2/3 innings of work, dropping her record to 9-4 on the year.
 
Game one of the doubleheader was a high-scoring affair as the two teams combined for 17 runs and 25 hits. The Golden Eagles took a 5-0 lead after just one inning of play on a Kelly Browning double to left field that brought home Rachelle Toppings and Katelyn Hamilton, and runs scored by Browning, Jenna Evans and Alayna Carlson.
 
UVa-Wise responded in the top of the second when Bennett doubled to right field, allowing Combs to score. Charleston then extended its lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the inning after Bethany Williams homered over the left field line, it would be the largest advantage of the game for the Golden Eagles.
 
A run scored in the top of the third and a three-run fourth got the Cavs within one run of Charleston. Senior starting second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) was able to cross home plate in the third to make it a 6-2 game before Ely hit a three-run homer over the left field wall to make the score 6-5.
 
The Golden Eagles tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth to go up 7-5 when Hamilton singled to right field for Alyssa Stanley to score. A two-out rally by the Cavs in the top of the sixth gave way to a three-run inning that allowed UVa-Wise to retake the lead. A two RBI double by Combs brought Ely and sophomore catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) across the plate before a Bennett single up the middle brought Combs home to give the Cavs a 8-7 lead.
 
The lead would be short lived for the Cavs as the Golden Eagles plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth when Stanley singled to right field for two RBI, scoring Natalie Beck and Jenna Evans. UVa-Wise was not able to get anything going in the seventh despite collecting two walks, making the 9-8 score final.
 
Charleston's Ali Burdette (11-2) struck out a season-high nine batters to earn the win for the Golden Eagles after six innings in the circle, while Jessie Rowe claimed a strikeout in the final inning and got her fifth save of the year.
 
Freshman right-handed pitcher Delany Turner (Leesburg, Va.) took the loss for the Cavs after 5 1/3 innings of work, dropping her season mark to 6-6.
 
Stanley went a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate for the Golden Eagles in game one, collecting three RBI and scoring once. Hernandez led the Cavs in the first contest with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate that included two runs scored.
 
The Cavs will now return to Wise for a six-game homestand beginning this Saturday with a doubleheader against Wheeling Jesuit University, first pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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