WISE, Va. – The UVa-Wise softball team lost two Mountain East Conference home contests Saturday afternoon to 25th-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan on "Armed Forces Day". The visiting Lady Bobcats (43-7, 25-5 MEC) shutout the host Cavaliers (25-26, 15-15 MEC) 9-0 in five innings in game one before UVa-Wise was edged in extra innings in game two, falling 6-5 in eight.
 
Nationally-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan scored nine runs in 10 hits in the first game of the doubleheader as four Cavalier errors in the fourth inning led to seven unearned Lady Bobcat runs. Four home run shots by the Cavs in game two, including a two-run homer by senior designated player Mindy Combs (Lebanon, Va.) to tie the game up at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh, wasn't enough to upset West Virginia Wesleyan. Going into extras, the Lady Bobcats only needed one inning to get an RBI single for the go ahead run.
 
A single through the left side by West Virginia Wesleyan's Morgan Bruce scored Rebekah Honce and put the Lady Bobcats up 1-0 in the top of the second inning of game one. West Virginia Wesleyan got another run in the visiting portion of the third when Brooklyn Waddell hit a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing in Ashley Hurey.
 
Two fielding errors at first base by the Cavs allowed Honce and Bruce to score unearned runs in the top of the fourth, putting the Lady Bobcats up 4-0. Later in the inning, Hurey stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error at second base as pinch hitter Kayli Gebhardt scored another unearned run from third base. Two RBI singles by Tori Pogue and Krista Waggoner brought in Hurey and then Pogue to make it a 7-0 game still in the fourth.
 
The final two scores of the game and the inning came when Honce doubled to right field for two more RBI, allowing Waggoner and Anna Eggleston to reach home. Honce tried to advance to third on the play and was thrown out by senior shortstop Erika McLaughlin (Haymarket, Va.), finally ending the fourth for UVa-Wise.
 
The Cavs were only able to collect four hits in game one. Redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) took the loss for UVa-Wise after 3 1/3 innings pitched, dropping her season record to 14-9.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan's Hannah Vet earned the win after five innings inside the circle and two strikeouts. Honce led the Lady Bobcats at the plate in game one, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
Twenty-five combined hits between the Cavs and the Lady Bobcats in game two and only one error made for a more tightly contested affair.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after a pair of RBI by Honce and Olivia Gore. Waddell scored on a Honce single to the shortstop, while Honce scored on a Gore double to left center field.
 
The Cavs got on the board for the first time of the day when Combs hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second to make it a one-run game at 2-1. However, the Lady Bobcats then extended their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third when Gore doubled to right field for Honce to score a second time.
 
A Waddell two-run home run in the visiting portion of the fourth extended West Virginia Wesleyan's advantage to 5-1 before the Cavs began to make their comeback.
 
Freshman catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.) hit solo home run shots over the right field fence on back-to-back at bats in the bottom of the fourth and sixth innings to close the gap to 5-3. Another homer by Combs, this time a two-run blast in the bottom of the seventh, knotted things up at 5-5 to force extra play.
 
In the top of the eighth, Waddell singled down the left field line to score Hurey and give the Lady Bobcats a 6-5 lead. Senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) got a single in the bottom of the eighth but two great catches by West Virginia Wesleyan outfielders closed out the game.
 
Lawson and Combs led the Cavs at the plate in game two, each hitting two home runs and scoring twice as Combs finished with three RBI. Waddell, Gore and Hurey each finished 3-for-4 in the game to lead the Lady Bobcats.
 
Eggleston earned the win for West Virginia Wesleyan in three innings of work, while right-handed pitcher Sayaka Foley tossed for five and struck out seven batters.
 
Freshman right-handed pitcher Delany Turner took the loss for UVa-Wise after five innings in the circle, dropping her season mark to 7-7.
 
The Cavs will wrap up the regular season tomorrow with their final home doubleheader of 2016. UVa-Wise takes on Glenville State for senior day with a 1 p.m. game one first pitch. Seniors Mindy Combs, Alexa Hernandez and Erika McLaughlin will be honored prior to the doubleheader. All Cavalier Softball alumnae are invited to attend the doubleheader and stay for a cookout after the games.
 
Visit uvawisecavs.com for all Cavalier softball news, statistics, complete schedule and more.