WISE, Va. – UVa-Wise softball earned a Mountain East Conference doubleheader sweep of West Liberty University Sunday afternoon at Cavalier Field in Wise. The Cavaliers (19-18, 9-7 MEC) got a pair of 8-0 wins in five innings over the visiting Hilltoppers (9-29, 2-14 MEC) as UVa-Wise scored 16 runs in just 13 total hits across the two games.
 
Four two-run home runs propelled the Cavs over West Liberty in game one before a variety of RBIs allowed UVa-Wise to score eight runs in four innings in the second game of the day.
 
Junior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) was flawless in the two games for the Cavs, going a perfect 3-for-3 on the day at the plate with two home runs, four RBI and three runs scored. Strong pitching by redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) kept the Hilltoppers scoreless all day and limited West Liberty to just eight combined hits. Brandts pitched all 10 innings for the Cavs and struck out eight total batters, including five in game two alone, picking up the pair of wins to improve to 10-5 on the season.
 
Two two-run blasts by Cleary in the home portions of the second and fourth innings gave UVa-Wise a 4-0 lead in game one as freshman designated player Jackie Yahner (Vienna, Va.) was brought across home on each home run shot.
 
Another two-run home run over the center field wall in the bottom of the fifth, this time by senior shortstop Erika McLaughlin, allowed sophomore third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) to reach home plate and give the Cavs a commanding 6-0 lead. The final two-run dinger of the game came later on in the fifth courtesy of sophomore catcher Bridget Henzel (Lebanon, Va.), with freshman left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) scoring to make it a 8-0 final score.
 
West Liberty right-handed pitcher Savanna Sieger (8-12) took the loss for the Hilltoppers after striking out four batters in 4 2/3 innings inside the circle.
 
The Cavs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two after senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) singled to left field for an RBI, scoring freshman center fielder Ava Hockey (Virginia Beach, Va.). A Bennett single up the middle was good enough for two RBI as Hernandez reached home and McLaughlin scored an unearned run.
 
UVa-Wise tacked on another run in the bottom of the third to make it a 4-0 game when Bennett collected her third RBI of the game on a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Ely to cross the plate.
 
A four-run fourth inning gave the Cavs a promising 8-0 advantage. Sophomore right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) singled to left center field and advanced to second on the throw for two RBI, bringing in Cleary and freshman catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.). Then an Ely sacrifice fly to center field brought home Millard, before McLaughlin singled through the left side for an RBI, allowing Hockey to score her second run of the game.
 
Brandts retired three out of four batters in the top of the fifth for the Cavs to claim the 8-0 victory and get the doubleheader sweep.
 
West Liberty right-handed pitcher Callaway Barr (0-11) took the game two loss for the Hilltoppers after three innings of work and three batters faced in the fourth inning. Both Barr and Sieger were not able to record a strikeout against the Cavs in game two.
 
The Cavs wrap up their six-game homestand Tuesday with a 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. doubleheader versus Concord University.
 
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