TROUTVILLE, Va. – The UVa-Wise softball team advanced to the 2016 Mountain East Conference Tournament consolation bracket final but fell to 24th-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan 11-9 Saturday evening at the Botetourt Sports Complex in Troutville, Virginia.
 
The fourth-seeded Cavaliers (28-30, 15-17 MEC) in the MEC South division began the day with a 5-3 win over No. 2 MEC North division seed Wheeling Jesuit University (35-20, 22-10 MEC) in the consolation bracket second round. The Cavs then eliminated Concord University (31-23, 18-14 MEC), who was seeded third in the MEC South division, 8-0 in five innings in the consolation bracket semifinals.
 
Taking on the Lady Bobcats (48-8, 27-5 MEC) for a spot in the MEC Tournament championship round, the Cavs were not able to overcome five errors, three of which were recorded in the first inning. Six unearned runs by West Virginia Wesleyan did UVa-Wise in as the Lady Bobcats used a six-run fifth inning to defeat UVa-Wise.
 
Consolation Bracket Second Round
UVa-Wise 5, Wheeling Jesuit University 3
 
The Cavs scored five runs in seven hits to defeat Wheeling Jesuit, including three in the second inning, as redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) earned her 16th win of the season after 138 pitches in the seven innings.
 
A single to right field by sophomore catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) brought in freshman left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) to give UVa-Wise a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Cavs built their lead to 4-0 in the visiting portion of the second, scoring an unearned run first when Bennett reached on a Cardinal throwing error that allowed junior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) to score. Two more unearned runs were scored in the inning when sophomore third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) hit an RBI single to the pitcher that scored sophomore right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.), and Henzel was walked for an RBI as senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) reached home.
 
The Cardinals got two runs in the home portion of the third to make it a 4-2 game. Kelsi Thompson grounded out to the shortstop for an RBI, bringing in Cassie Holstein for Wheeling Jesuit's first run of the game. A Molly Welsh double to left center field scored another run for the Cardinals with Victoria Scott scoring on the hit.
 
UVa-Wise added another run in the top of the fourth when senior shortstop Erika McLaughlin (Haymarket, Va.) singled to left field for an RBI, bringing home Bennett for her second score of the game. In the bottom of the fourth, Wheeling Jesuit scored one more run to make it 5-3 after Scott singled to left field for Marissa Cangelosi to score an unearned run.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the final three innings of the game as Brandts retired three straight in the bottom of the fifth and seventh innings.
 
Hernandez led the Cavs at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance with a run scored, while Henzel picked up two RBI.
 
Wheeling Jesuit's Mallory Chapman (18-11) struck out five UVa-Wise batters in a complete game but took the loss for the Cardinals.
 
Consolation Bracket Semifinals
UVa-Wise 8, Concord University 0 (5)
 
The Cavs scored eight runs in three innings and collected 10 hits against the Mountain Lions as freshman right-handed pitcher Delany Turner (Leesburg, Va.) didn't give up a hit and struck out three to pick up her eighth win of the season.
 
UVa-Wise led 6-0 after the top of the first inning with Bennett scoring the first run on a wild pitch. A McLaughlin single to left center field was good enough for two RBI as both Ely and senior designated player Mindy Combs (Lebanon, Va.) reached home. The Cavs got their first home run of the tournament when Cleary hit a three-run bomb over the center field fence, giving UVa-Wise the comfortable lead in the opening inning.
 
In the top of the second it was McLaughlin with another RBI, singling down the left field line for Combs to score her second run of the game. The Cavs eighth and final run of the game came in the visiting portion of the third when Bennett singled up the middle for an RBI, allowing Millard to score.
 
Bennett and McLaughlin led the Cavs at the plate as Bennett went 3-for-4 and McLaughlin 2-for-2. Both McLaughlin and Cleary earned three RBIs in the contest.
 
Concord's Abby Beatty (9-5) took the loss for the Mountain Lions, striking out three batters in the five innings played.
 
Consolation Bracket Final
No. 24 West Virginia Wesleyan 11, UVa-Wise 9
 
Fatigue seemed to set in as the Cavs played their third game in a row without a break in between games. Using three different pitcher, UVa-Wise was not able to collect a strikeout against the Lady Bobcats and gave up 11 hits, while only tallying seven of its own.
 
The Cavs took an early 2-0 lead in the game with two unearned runs in the top of the first inning, scoring first on a Lady Bobcat error. UVa-Wise scored the second run of the inning when Combs hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Bennett to score.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan responded in the bottom of the opening inning by scoring four unearned runs after three Cavalier errors. After two scoreless innings, the Cavs tied up the score at 4-4 when junior right-handed pitcher Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) hit her first home run of the season in the top of the fourth, a two-run shot over left center field.
 
The Lady Bobcats took a one-run 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Brooklyn Waddell hit a RBI single to left field to bring in Tori Pogue on the hit. A big fifth inning by West Virginia Wesleyan gave the Lady Bobcats five earned runs and on unearned run to go up 11-4 on the Cavs.
 
UVa-Wise responded in the top of the sixth with five runs to make it a two-run game at 11-9. Millard singled to left field for an RBI to score Henzel before Hernandez was hit by a pitch, which allowed freshman catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.) to reach home. A Bennett RBI single brought in Turner for the third run of the inning as Millard then scored on a fielder's choice. Another fielder's choice allowed Hernandez to score the Cavs fifth and final run of the inning.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan right-handed pitcher Alyssa Shawgo came into the game in the top of the seventh and retired three straight UVa-Wise batters, striking out two to earn the save for the Lady Bobcats.
 
Henzel and Millard led the Cavs at the plate as Henzel went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Millard finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a one run. Combs and Kale each earned two RBI in the game while Hernandez scored twice.
 
Kale took the loss for UVa-Wise inside the circle after 3 2/3 innings, dropping her season mark to 4-11. The Lady Bobcats' Sayaka Foley (17-3) earned the win for West Virginia Wesleyan after tossing for five innings and striking out six.
 
Saturday evening's loss wraps up the Cavs' 2016 campaign as the softball team bids farewell to seniors Mindy Combs, Alexa Hernandez and Erika McLaughlin.
 
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