NEWBERRY, S.C. – The UVa-Wise softball team picked up a pair of non-conference road wins Saturday afternoon in the Palmetto State at Newberry College. The Cavaliers (7-7) evened up their season record with the doubleheader sweep, defeating the host Wolves (15-8) 6-0 in game one before earning a 3-2 victory in the second game of the afternoon.
 
Junior right-handed pitcher Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) tossed two complete games inside the circle and held Newberry to nine total hits for the day. UVa-Wise tallied 14 combined hits in the two games as Brandts gave up just one earned run in 14 innings of work.
 
Lining 10 hits in game one, the Cavs scored three of their six runs in the opening inning of the contest. An RBI single down the right field line by junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) allowed junior catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) to score UVa-Wise's first run of the day. Later in the first a single to left field by senior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) and a fielding error by the Wolves scored two more runs for the Cavs. The single brought Brandts across home and the error allowed Ely to score an unearned run, giving UVa-Wise a 3-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third Ely got her second RBI of the game when she singled to center field for Henzel to score her second run of the afternoon. The Cavs tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth after sophomore pinch hitter Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.) grounded out to first for an RBI, scoring sophomore left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.), and junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) got an RBI single to center field, allowing Cleary to reach home.
 
With UVa-Wise leading 6-0, Brandts retired nine consecutive batters in the final three innings to end the game and secure the game one win.
 
Henzel finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and a triple. Ely was 2-for-4 with her two RBI as Cleary went 2-for-2 and was walked twice. Brandts picked up her fourth win of the season after striking out nine batters and walking none. Newberry's Devon Morrison (9-3) took the loss for the Wolves after three innings inside the circle.
 
Hits came at a premium for the Cavs in the second game of the afternoon as UVa-Wise scored all three of its runs in the third inning. After two scoreless innings, the Cavs collected two of their four hits in the top of the third and took a 2-0 lead after a two RBI single by Ely. With bases loaded, Ely singled through the right side allowing Henzel to score her third run of the day and Millard her first. UVa-Wise made it 3-0 when Cleary hit a sacrifice fly to left field that brought in senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.).
 
Newberry responded in the bottom of the frame with its first run of the afternoon, a solo home run over right center field by the Wolves' Christina Linton. In the bottom of the fourth an unearned run by Newberry made it a one-run game at 3-2. The Wolves' Myranda Dills doubled through the left side for an RBI, scoring pinch runner Kendall Tipton.
 
Neither team scored for the remainder of the game as UVa-Wise and Newberry combined for just three hits in the final three frames. Taylor Brandts picked up the final out of the seventh inning on a strikeout to clinch the 3-2 victory.
 
Cleary finished 1-for-1 at the plate with a RBI and a walk, while Ely went 1-for-3 and had two RBI. Taylor Brandts earned her second win of the day inside the circle and improved her record to 5-3 on the season. The Wolves' Emily Marchbanks (5-5) took the loss for Newberry after tossing all seven innings and striking out six.
 
The Cavs will now return to the comforts of Cavalier Field for a 12-game homestand beginning Wednesday, March 15. UVa-Wise faces Tusculum College Wednesday in doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. before opening up Mountain East Conference play next Saturday, March 18.
 
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