WISE - - UVa-Wise pushed its winning streak to five games and claimed its third and fourth consecutive one-run victory with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Notre Dame College at Stallard Field Monday. Freshman Dawson Cagle lined a game-winning two-run double in a 4-3 game one victory before fellow freshman Will Stamper tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-hit, one-run relief to lead his club to a 6-5 win in the finale.
Notre Dame (3-14, 0-4 MEC) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Jacob launched a solo homerun over the right field wall.
An inning later, Nick Ely lifted a shallow pop up to short right field allowing Adam Purdy to score, giving the Falcons a 2-0 lead.
In the home half of the fifth, freshman Nate Thompson got UVa-Wise (10-12, 4-0 MEC) on the board when he doubled to left field plating Cagle and Tyler Blaum.
With the score tied, Notre Dame regained the lead in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Austin Barnhart.
That set the stage for Cagle's game-winning hit when he lined a 2-0 pitch just inside the first base bag allowing Blaum and pinch runner Joey Skov to score.
For the second consecutive day, sophomore Dylan Luttrell was solid out of the bullpen. The Spotsylvania, Va. native walked one and struck out one without allowing hit while picking up his second save in less than 24 hours.
Cagle and Thompson had two hits each to lead a seven-hit effort for the Cavaliers. Blaum scored two of the team's four runs while adding a base hit to his game.
Brandon Reinke was the only Falcons with multiple hits in the loss as the designated hitter finished 2-3 at the plate.
Freshman Trevor Nevill picked up his second win of the year by scattering six hits over six innings of work. The Hoover, Ala. product struck out three while allowing three runs (two earned) in his first home start.
Game two saw the Cavs fall behind for the fourth consecutive game as the Falcons scored a pair of runs thanks to two errors and a two-run single by Ricky Phillips.
In the home half of the inning, UVa-Wise tied the game when freshman Matthew Branham singled in Jordan Turner and David Thomas came home to score on a miscue by Notre Dame's right fielder.
Notre Dame regained its two run lead in the top of the second when Ely drew a bases loaded walk and Barnhart scored on an error.
While the Falcons took a 4-2 lead, not scoring more in the frame would prove costly as the next two hitters would make outs, leaving the bases loaded.
After UVa-Wise starter Joe Catalani retired Notre Dame in order in the third, his club got within a run in the home half of the inning.
Turner singled to lead off the frame before stealing second. The speedy freshman scored on a base hit up the middle by Thomas.
The Falcons would put two of their first three hitters on base to start the fourth. At that point, UVa-Wise Head Coach Hank Banner summoned Stamper out of the bullpen.
The Lebanon, Va. native would not leave the mound as he started his afternoon by getting back-to-back outs with the bases loaded to keep the score 4-3.
Stamper would retire five consecutive batters as the game moved to the bottom of the fifth.
An error by Notre Dame started the home fifth and after back-to-back outs, Josh Haga had stole second to move into scoring position. The redshirt freshman tied the game when Blaum singled to centerfield.
Two hitters later, the Cavs took the lead when Branham scored on a wild pitch to make the score 5-4.
A half inning later, the Falcons scored their only run of the game off Stamper when Danny Beaver was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch.
The score would remain unchanged until the bottom of the seventh when Branham grounded into a double play, allowing Thomas to score what proved to be the game-winning run.
Beaver would give his club a chance to tie the game in the eighth when he reached on an error and stole second. The threat would be short lived as the Falcons would not hit a ball out of the infield with their two at bats with Beaver in scoring position. Reinke struck out looking on three consecutive pitches before Phillips popped out to second on a 2-1 pitch.
Stamper retired the Falcons in order in the top of the ninth to preserve his team's fourth consecutive one-run win.
The former Lebanon High School standout finished the day by not allowing a hit to the last 21 batters he faced. The win was the first in Stamper's collegiate career as his final line read 5 2/3 innings pitched, six strikeouts, two walks, one hit allowed and one run allowed.
Turner and Thomas finished with two hits and two runs scored each to lead the offensive effort.
Phillips and Ely had a pair of hits each as part of a five-hit campaign for Notre Dame.
The 4-0 start in league play marks the first time the program has started 4-0 in conference play since the 2006 team started 4-0 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.
UVa-Wise will return to action this weekend at Wheeling Jesuit and West Liberty. Banner's squad is scheduled to play a doubleheader in Wheeling on Saturday and a doubleheader in West Liberty on Sunday.