HICKORY, N.C. – The UVa-Wise softball team picked up a pair of victories on opening day at the Second Annual Bear Bash in Hickory, North Carolina. The Cavaliers (2-0) knocked off 25th-ranked and tournament host Lenoir-Rhyne University 3-1 in the second game of the day after defeating Mercyhurst University 8-4 earlier.
 
Freshman right-handed pitcher Raychel Lapallo (North Chesterfield, Va.) picked up a win inside the circle in her collegiate debut and sophomore left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) tallied four RBI to help UVa-Wise top the Lakers (0-4) of Mercyhurst. Junior right-handed pitcher Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) earned the win for the Cavs in game two of the day as senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) knocked in two RBI to help UVa-Wise upset Lenoir-Rhyne, who is ranked No. 25 in the nation according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Davison II Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
In the first game of the day, Mercyhurst took a 1-0 lead on the Cavs in the first when Cassandra Egelston scored on a wild pitch. UVa-Wise responded in the bottom of the third with five runs as sophomore center fielder Ava Hockey (Virginia Beach, Va.) drove in junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) on a RBI single before junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) hit a sacrifice fly to center field for Hernandez to score. A double down the right field line by Bennett later in the inning allowed sophomore catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.) and Hockey to cross home plate. Freshman shortstop Alexis Sheehan (King George, Va.) recorded her first collegiate hit with a RBI single that scored Bennett, giving UVa-Wise a 5-1 lead.
 
The Lakers collected one run in the fourth when Lindsey Parese singled for a RBI to bring in Jamie Ward. Another two RBI hit by Bennett, this time a single down the left field line, gave the Cavs two more runs in the bottom of the fourth as Hernandez scored her second run of the game and Ely reached home. Leading 7-2 in the fifth, Ely earned her second sacrifice fly of the game when she flied out to center field for junior first baseman Monica Brandts (King George, Va.) to score. Mercyhurst got two more runs in the top of the seventh off of a two RBI single to center field by Emily Hair that brought in Rachel DiBartolomeo and Egelston.
 
Bennett finished with two doubles and three total hits as Hernandez went 2-for-3 at the plate. Lapallo (1-0) tossed all seven innings and posted three strikeouts to earn the win. The Lakers' Heather Nye (0-2) took the loss after six innings inside the circle.
 
Against Lenoir-Rhyne, UVa-Wise totaled eight hits as Taylor Brandts allowed just one run in seven innings. The Cavs grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Hernandez doubled to left field for a pair of RBI, scoring freshman shortstop Nikki Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) and Bennett.
 
In the fourth, UVa-Wise extended its advantage to three after an Ely RBI single to left center field brought Millard across the plate. The Bears' lone run of the game came in the bottom of the fifth when Mackensi Swain hit a home run over the left field fence.
 
Going the distance inside the circle, Taylor Brandts (1-0) struck out three batters and gave up just seven hits in 28 at bats. Hernandez went 2-for-4 at the plate in the game to finish the day with four hits and four RBI. Junior catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) tallied two singles in the win road win.
 
Giving up three earned runs, Lenoir-Rhyne's Sydney Miller (2-2) took the loss after 3 1/3 innings pitched.
 
The Cavs continue play in Lenoir-Rhyne's Second Annual Bear Bash Sunday with a pair of games to close out the weekend. UVa-Wise takes on Johnson C. Smith University at 10 a.m. and then faces Lees-McRae College at 12 p.m.
 
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