WISE - - Resiliency paid off Sunday afternoon as UVa-Wise overcame four runs in game one and eight runs in game two to claim a doubleheader sweep over Urbana University in the Cavaliers home and Mountain East Conference opener. Freshman Matthew Branham delivered a game-tying three-run homerun in the opener before Jordan Turner singled in Tyler Blaum for the game-winning run in a 6-5 triumph. Game two saw David Thomas collect four hits and drive in six runs. The sophomore finished the day by lining a walk-off double to seal a 13-12 win in 11 innings.

Urbana (5-10, 0-2 MEC) started the opener with a four-run first. First baseman Brent West doubled in a pair of runs to make it a 2-0 game before Daniel Quiroz lined a two-out, two-RBI single to stake the visitors to a 4-0 lead after a half inning of play.

UVa-Wise (8-12, 2-0 MEC) responded with a pair of runs in the home half of the frame as Branham drew a bases loaded walk to score redshirt freshman Josh Haga before junior Matt Wright was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate junior Stuart Paz. Urbana starter Will Keller would avoid further damage as centerfielder Mickey Losey tracked down a deep fly ball off the bat of catcher Tyler Blaum.

An inning later, the Blue Knights' DeMario Brown scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to 5-2.

In the home third, the Cavaliers erupted for four runs to take a lead they would not relinquish. The frame started when Paz was hit by a pitch and freshman Nate Thompson walked to put two men on with nobody out for Branham. The former John I. Burton High School standout deposited a 2-1 pitch over the wall to tie the game. The homer was the first of the freshman's collegiate career. After Blaum walked and Hunter Bayless was hit by a pitch, Blaum scored on a Jordan Turner base hit and subsequent error by Urbana.

From that point, the UVa-Wise pitching staff shutdown Urbana. Senior left-hander Nathan Hatmaker tossed a scoreless fourth inning before turning the game over to sophomore Dylan Luttrell. The right-hander was near perfect out of the bullpen turning in back-to-back perfect frames before returning to the mound in the seventh looking to close out the win.

The Spotsylvania, Va. native struck out Nick Gallagher to start the frame before getting Connor Coy to groundout to third. Needing just one more out, Luttrell surrendered his first base runner when Tanner Davis was hit by a pitch.

The Blue Knights sent Kaleb Foltz in to pinch run representing the tying run. On Luttrell's first pitch to Zeth Tanner, the catcher grounded the ball to third base. Junior Matt Wright fielded the ball but an errant throw allowed Tanner to reach safely.

With the ball rolling up the right field line, Foltz attempted to go first-to-home to tie the game. Thompson retrieved the ball and fired a strike to Blaum who tagged Foltz moments before he touched the plate to preserve the victory.

Hatmaker allowed five runs on five hits in four innings of work. The Harrogate, Tenn. product struck out four and walked six as he improved to 2-3 on the season. Luttrell fanned four without allowing a hit in three innings of relief to garner his first save of 2017.

Branham went 2-2 at the plate with four RBI, he was the only UVa-Wise player with more than one hit in the win.

As a team, the Cavs walked seven times against three strikeouts.

West led the Blue Knight offensive attack by going 3-4 with a pair of RBI.

Will Keller dropped to 2-2 on the mound as he surrendered six runs (five earned) in 2 1/3 innings of work.

Urbana seemingly put game two out of reach in the top of the first inning. Isac Franklin singled to lead off the game to begin a stretch of four consecutive Blue Knights that would reach base.

By the end of the inning, Urbana had scored seven runs on six hits; the visitors also took advantage of three UVa-Wise errors in the big inning.

An inning later, the Blue Knights extended the lead to 8-0 on a solo homer by West.

In the home third, Hank Banner's club got on the board. Turner led off the frame with a single before scoring on a Haga base hit. Thomas would produce the inning's second run when he doubled on an 0-2 pitch allowing Haga to scamper home.

Leading 8-2, Urbana tacked on an insurance run in the fourth when Mickey Barea lifted a sacrifice fly to right field allowing Gallahger to score.

The Blue Knights regained their eight run lead in the top of the sixth when Gallahger scored on a wild pitch, making the score 10-2.

Resilient, UVa-Wise would score four in the home sixth to cut the lead to four at 10-6. Thomas had a bases clearing double to score three of the four runs before Trevor Nevill plated Thomas on a base hit up the middle.

Undeterred, Urbana answered back with two runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by Gallagher. The damage could have been more severe if not for the work of senior right-hander Devon Moring. The Portsmouth, Va. native would retire the next three hitters to keep the game a six run deficit at 12-6.

The Cavs would tie the game in the home eighth as back-to-back hits by Paz and Branham put two men on with one out for Nevill. The Hoover, Ala. native doubled in both runners to make the score 12-8. Two batters later, Blaum made it a 12-10 game when he doubled in Nevill and Wright on an 0-1 pitch. Pinch hitter Cal Bailey got UVa-Wise within a run when his single allowed Blaum to score making it a 12-11 game.

Banner's squad tied the game when Thomas singled home pinch runner Dante Salerno.

Thompson would enter the game out of the bullpen with a man on and nobody out but quickly work out of trouble thanks to some help from his catcher. Franklin had walked to start the inning but would be caught stealing when Blaum delivered a perfect throw just over the second base bag for the frame's first out.

A batter later, Brown would line out to shortstop before Thompson would strike out Gallagher with a runner on to end the inning.

UVa-Wise would get a leadoff double in the home ninth from Paz but the second baseman would be picked off on a perfectly executed pickoff play for the first out of the inning.

Reliever Robbie Guerrero would retire the next hitters to force extra innings.

Thompson returned to the mound and sat the Blue Knights down in order giving his team a second chance to win the game in walk-off fashion.

Salerno would draw a two-out walk but would be unable to score forcing the game to an 11th inning.

Christiansburg, Va. product Kellen Larkin took to the mound for the 11th frame and quickly found himself in trouble. Quiroz was hit by a pitch to start the inning before Bradley Burkholder walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out.

From there, the right-hander buckled down as he struck out Franklin looking for the first out of the inning before inducing an inning ending 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Haga walked to lead off the home portion of the inning before scoring from first on Thomas' game-winning double.

Six Cavs had at least two hits as part of a 20-hit effort. Turner finished 3-6 with two runs scored while Nevill went 3-5 with two RBI and a run scored. Thomas added a run scored to his four-hit six-RBI game.

Larkin earned the win on the mound for his scoreless inning of work to even his season record at 1-1.

Urbana had 15 hits in the loss, Gallagher led the way with three hits, the runs and two RBI.

UVa-Wise will be back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Notre Dame College for another MEC doubleheader.