BUCKHANNON, W.Va. - - History was made Sunday afternoon as UVa-Wise claimed a 4-2 win in game one of a doubleheader over host West Virginia Wesleyan at Hank Ellis Field. The win was the 400th in the career of veteran UVa-Wise Head Coach Hank Banner.
All of Banner's 400 victories have come at his alma mater where he has guided the Cavaliers to a trio of regional appearances and a Mid-South Eastern Division crown in his 20-year tenure at the helm of the program.
UVa-Wise (18-28) used a three-run homer from Ben Coffman in the fourth inning to overcome a 1-0 West Virginia Wesleyan (22-20) lead.
The Bobcats cut the lead to one on a Dominic Castillo sacrifice fly in the home half of the fourth frame.
The Cavs would push the lead back to two in the fifth when Cody Jewell scampered home on a wild pitch.
After UVa-Wise starter Nathan Hatmaker tossed six innings of two-run ball, Banner turned to freshman Kellen Larkin to close out the contest.
Larkin entered the game with the tying run at the plate and walked the first batter he saw to allow the winning run to come to bat.
The Christiansburg native then induced a double play off the bat of Greg Smith for the first two outs of the frame. The right-hander got out of the jam when he got John Koon to groundout, sealing Banner's 400th win.
The save was the first in Larkin's collegiate career as he extended his scoreless appearance streak to three.
Hatmaker won his team-best fifth game of the season (5-2) while Ty Lighton (3) and Tye Marshall (2) each had a multi-hit game in the victory.
Hunter Rotarious (4-3) took the loss after allowing four runs, three earned, in a complete game loss.
The 400 wins by Banner are the most by any coach in school history, regardless of sport. The coach has been associated with the program since 1988 when he played second base for the Cavs during his playing career.
The Bobcats secured a split of the doubleheader with a walk-off RBI single by Koon in the bottom of the ninth of game two.
Marcus Elmore, Matt Wright and Coffman led UVa-Wise with three hits each in the loss. Dylan Luttrell allowed just one run in 3 1/3 innings of relief but took the loss (0-2) out of the bullpen.
The Bobcats' Chris Mettrick garnered the win by tossing a scoreless ninth.
Lighton picked up one hit to move to 199 for his career. The senior needs one hit in his final four games to become just the fifth player in school history to reach 200 career hits.
Lighton can finish as high as third all-time in school history. Former shortstop Steve Tyler currently stands in third with 207 hits; Brad Robbins holds the school record with 265 hits.
UVa-Wise will hold Senior Day 2016 on Friday when the team entertains Concord University in a doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. from Stallard Field with pregame ceremonies scheduled to begin approximately 15 minutes prior to first pitch.
