DAHLONEGA, Ga. –UVa-Wise softball came back from an 8-4 deficit in the sixth inning to defeat Coker College 9-8 in University of North Georgia's Captain D's Surf & Turf Classic Saturday evening, after falling to Wingate University 10-2 in five innings earlier in the day.
 
Down 8-4 after a six-run top of the sixth inning by the Cobras (8-9-1), the Cavaliers (6-5) responded with five runs scored in the bottom of the inning. UVa-Wise and Coker combined for 23 hits and 17 runs in the one-run Cavs' win.
 
Coker took a 1-0 lead in the first after a solo home run by Maria Williamson, before the Cavs tied it up in the bottom of the inning with a run scored by freshman left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) off of a RBI single by sophomore shortstop Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.).
 
UVa-Wise extended its lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth when redshirt sophomore Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) scored on a throwing error by Coker's Taylor Barcomb and senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by senior designated player Mindy Combs (Lebanon, Va.).
 
An error by Hernandez in the top of the fifth allowed the Cobra's Courtney Boan to reach home from third base, making it a one-run game at 3-2. Junior third baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) grounded into a double play in the bottom of the fifth but with bases loaded Ely was able to score, giving the Cavs a 4-2 advantage.
 
A big sixth inning for both teams, Coker got things going when Allyson High doubled to right center field and pinch runner Rebekah Addison scored after a Hannah Price RBI single. A Boan RBI single to right field allowed the Cobra's Carylann Geddes to score from second and tie up the score at 4-4. Coker's Ashley Gallman and Boan each reached home after a Riley Morris double to right center field, making it a 6-4 game. Consecutive doubles by Coker's Williamson and Barcomb brought in Morris and Katelyn Chambers to give the Cobras an 8-4 lead.
 
The Cavs responded in the bottom of the inning with freshman first baseman Delany Turner (Leesburg, Va.) hit an RBI single to center field, allowing sophomore right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) to score. A throwing error by Coker pitcher Taylor Forehand brought Bennett across the plate, before Turner scored on a Barcomb error. Cleary singled through the left side for an RBI as Ely scored to tie up the game at 8-8. UVa-Wise got its final run of the game Hernandez singled up the up the middle to bring in freshman catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.).
 
Brandts retired three straight in the top of the seventh to give the Cavs the victory. The right-handed pitcher picked up the win, going the distance to improve her record to 2-1 on the year.
 
Coker's Forehand took the loss in two innings of work, falling to 2-3 on the season.
 
Cleary and Bennett led the Cavs with three hits each in four at bats as six different Cavs recorded an RBI.
 
Earlier in the day the Cavs struggled to get going on offense, only making three hits in the game against Wingate. The Bulldogs earned 12 hits and scored 10 runs in only four innings against the Cavs.
 
Wingate (11-3) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first after an Emily Usiak single up the middle brought in Mellena Helms, the run was then followed by a Misty Doran double down the right field line that allowed Usiak to score.
 
The Bulldogs tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the second with a Katie McLaurin solo home run over the left field wall, a Helms RBI single to left field and a Usiak two RBI double to right center field. Wingate's Naomi Sapp scored on Helms' single, while Taylor Laskey and Helms crossed home on Usiak's double.
 
UVa-Wise got its only scores and all its hits in the top of the third. Millard singled to Coker's Rachel Weidner who committed a throw error, allowing sophomore catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) to reach home from second base. Millard was then brought in for the Cavs second score of the game when Combs doubled to left center field.
 
Four more runs were scored by the Bulldogs in the bottom of the fourth, the first on a Laskey double to center field that got Helms across the plate. Laskey then scored on a throwing error by senior shortstop Erika McLaughlin (Haymarket, Va.), followed by a Jordan Wilson double down the right field line that brought in Misty Doran. The Bulldogs got their final run of the afternoon when McLaurin singled up the middle, allowing Wilson to touch home from second.
 
Coker right-handed pitcher Weidner retired three straight in the top of the fifth to secure the victory. Weidner earned the win for the Cobras and improved to 3-2 on the season.
 
Junior right-handed pitcher Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) took the loss for the Cavs in three and two-thirds innings of work. Millard, Combs and Henzel were the only three Cavs with hits in the game.
 
The Cavs will wrap up play in North Georgia's Captain D's Surf & Turf Classic Sunday, facing both Wingate and Coker once again. UVa-Wise takes on the Bulldogs at 9 a.m. followed by the Cobras at 11 a.m.
 
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