BRISTOL, Tenn. – UVa-Wise softball was defeated in a pair of games as part of a road doubleheader at nearby King University in Bristol, Tennessee, Friday afternoon. The Cavaliers (3-5) were bested 6-3 in game one of the doubleheader before being edged 4-3 in the second game by the homestanding Tornado (2-6).
 
King scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning in game one of the day after trailing 3-0 to take the lead on UVa-Wise, and then got two more in the sixth to defeat the Cavs. In game two, the Tornado used a four-run third inning and held off UVa-Wise in the final two innings to upend the Cavs.
 
After two scoreless innings in game one, junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) singled to center field for a pair of RBI. Sophomore center fielder Ava Hockey (Virginia Beach, Va.) and junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) both scored on the Ely single, giving UVa-Wise a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. Millard's next at bat in the fourth gave the Cavs a 3-0 advantage when she grounded out to the shortstop for a RBI, scoring freshman designated player Alexis Sheehan (King George, Va.). However, that would be the final run scored by UVa-Wise in the game.
 
The Tornado's offense heated up in the bottom of the fifth inning as King's Morgan Matthews singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw for an RBI, bringing in pinch runner Lauren Rowsey. Later in the inning, the Tornado took their first lead of the game at 4-3 on a three-run triple by Hannah Riddle. King would hold the Cavs scoreless for the final two innings as UVa-Wise left two on base in the top of the sixth and one on in the seventh.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, the Tornado tacked on two more runs after King's Jennifer Kern scored on a wild pitch and Kaycee Casteel reached home off of a throwing error as Danielle Parks stole second base.
 
UVa-Wise collected seven hits in the game, compared to five by King, but scored just one earned run in the six and a half innings of play. Sophomore left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) went 2-for-4 at the plate as Ely picked up two RBI and Hockey was walked twice. Junior right-hander Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) (1-3) took the loss for the Cavs after five complete innings inside the circle. She also faced two batters in the bottom of the sixth before freshman right-handed pitcher Raychel Lapallo (North Chesterfield, Va.) finished off the inning without a walk.
 
Matthews (1-1) got the win in game one for King after two innings pitched, while Hayley Smothers picked up the save in the final two innings.
 
UVa-Wise picked up nine hits in the second game of the day but was able to only earn three runs off of those hits, leaving a total of seven base runners stranded. The Tornado scored all four of their runs in the third inning and connected on six hits for the game.
 
A RBI double to left center field by senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) gave the Cavs an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Millard scored on the play. Two scoreless innings would ensue before King tied up the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a Morgan Lowe fielder's choice RBI to the shortstop, bringing in Riddle. A Candance Maness RBI single to third base allowed Lowe to reach home, giving the Tornado a 2-1 lead in the inning. Moments later, Maness and Olivia Lawson both scored off of a two RBI triple to right center field by King's Erin Roper.
 
Trailing 4-1, UVa-Wise desperately need runs and got a pair in the top of the fifth when junior designated player Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) knocked in a two RBI single to center field for Bennett and Millard to score. The Cavs were held to just one hit in the final two innings, making the 4-3 score final.
 
Hernandez went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI in game two, while Millard went 2-for-4 and scored twice. The Tornado's Olivia Lawson also went 2-for-3 in the contest.
 
Lapallo (2-2) took the loss for UVa-Wise inside the circle after pitching all six innings. King's Matthews (2-1) picked up her second win of the day after one complete inning of work and facing three batters in the fifth. Smothers pitched three innings and didn't give up a run to earn her second save of the afternoon for the Tornado.
 
The Cavs will now return to Wise and the comforts of Cavalier field for UVa-Wise's home opener Sunday, Feb. 19, against Lees-McRae College. The doubleheader is slated to get underway at 1 p.m. with game one. The Cavs were defeated by the Bobcats 6-5 in eight innings last weekend in Hickory, North Carolina, as part of Lenoir-Rhyne University's Second Annual Bear Bash.
 
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