WISE - - Steven Klaiber pitched a complete game four-hitter and delivered a game-winning three-run homer in extra innings as part of a doubleheader sweep for UVa-Wise over Bluefield State at Stallard Field Sunday. Klaiber's walk off home run secured a 4-1 win in the opener before the Cavs lined 13 hits in a 10-0 win in game two. Sunday's doubleheader marked the first home games of the season for Hank Banner's club who opened the season on an 11-game road trip.
UVa-Wise (9-4) broke a scoreless tie in the third inning of the opener thanks to a two-out rally. Senior Bryan Andrews singled up the middle and moved to second on a bunt base hit by fellow senior Ty Lighton. Vienna native Ryan Dickt got his team on the board when he singled through the left side to plate Andrews.
The lead was short lived as Bluefield State (2-11) tied the game in the top of the fourth. Justin Bowler picked up a one-out single before stealing second base. The second baseman found himself 90 feet away from tying the game when Carlos Chambers singled to right field. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Sam Harris tied the game and moved Chambers to second base.
A hitter later, the Blues were on the cusp of taking the lead when Boston New singled to left field; Chambers rounded third and tried to score but, left fielder Ben Coffman fired home and Andrews applied the tag for the third out of the inning.
The score would remain unchanged until the eighth inning as Klaiber and the Bluefield State duo of Bo Williams and Jared Muncy posted zero after zero.
The hit by New was the last of the game by the Blues as they picked up just one base runner over the remainder of the contest.
The Cavs best chance to score came in the fifth when Marcus Elmore reached on a bunt hit and stole second. The senior would advance no further as Muncy came out of the bullpen to end the threat.
In the home eighth, freshman David Thomas pinch hit to lead off the frame and delivered his first collegiate hit. After a sacrifice bunt by Lighton, the Blues made the decision to intentionally walk Dickt, setting the stage for Klaiber's heroics.
The senior lined the first pitch of the at bat over the right field wall to give UVa-Wise a win in its 2016 home opener.
While his homer won the game, the Roanoke native was masterful on the mound as well. Klaiber struck out six without allowing a walk as he improved to 2-0 on the year.
Muncy dropped to 1-3 on the season as he made his first relief appearance of the year.
Game two saw the offensive fireworks continue for the Cavs. UVa-Wise picked up a pair of runs in the third to take a 2-0 advantage and never looked back.
After Elmore was hit by a pitch, the Blacksburg, S.C. native went first-to-third on a base hit by Lighton to put runners on the corners with one out for Dickt.
With Dickt at the plate, Lighton broke for second and when Bluefield State catcher Carson Thigpen hurled the ball into centerfield, Elmore trotted home for the first run of the game.
Dickt later scored Lighton on an RBI sacrifice fly for the second run of the frame.
It would start a stretch of four consecutive scoring innings for UVa-Wise.
Brett Yates and Matt Wright picked up an RBI each in the third inning to push the lead to 4-0 before an error and Wright's second run-scoring hit of the game pushed the margin to six after five innings.
Left-hander Nathan Hatmaker continued the strong pitching day for the Cavs. The Harrogate, Tenn. product allowed just one hit while fanning five against two walks in five innings of work.
After reliever Cody Jewell turned in a scoreless top half of the sixth, UVa-Wise blew the game open in the bottom half of the inning.
Thomas reached second on a two-base throwing error to lead off the frame and scored when Lighton's fourth hit of the game found grass in right field.
Coffman's second double of the day plated two more in the inning before Yates' second RBI of the game capped the four-run outburst.
Leading 10-0, Jewell tossed his second scoreless inning to give the Cavs their sixth win in their last seven games.
Lighton scored three times and raised his batting average to .375 with his 4-4 game at the plate. Coffman, Wright and Yates had two RBIs each while Coffman also scored twice in the win.
Hatmaker improved to 2-0 on the year while Bluefield State starter Ridge Sibold dropped to 1-2 after allowing six runs in five innings of work.
Sibold was victimized by his defense, the Blues made four errors in the contest which led to eight unearned runs.
On the day, UVa-Wise pitching allowed one run on seven hits in 15 innings of work. Cavalier hurlers struck out 11 while walking just two in the doubleheader.
The doubleheader was the start of an eight-game home stand for the Cavs. Tusculum College visits Stallard Field on March 15 before UVa-Wise begins league play against Wheeling Jesuit on March 19.
