HARROGATE, Tenn. – UVa-Wise softball split a pair of non-conference road games Thursday afternoon at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. The Cavaliers (5-7) rebounded from a 6-0 game one loss to the host Lady Railsplitters (12-6) by earning a 2-1 win in the second game of the afternoon.
Senior first baseman
Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) knocked out her second home run of the season and junior right-handed pitcher
Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) gave up just three hits to guide UVa-Wise to the game two victory. The Cavs lined nine hits in the game as Brandts tossed all seven innings inside the circle.
UVa-Wise made four single-base hits in the opening inning and took a 1-0 lead when sophomore left fielder
Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) singled through the right side for an RBI. Junior catcher
Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) scored from second base on the play. Cleary's solo home run shot cleared the left center field wall in the top of the second, giving the Cavs a 2-0 advantage.
Lincoln Memorial's only score of the game came unearned in the bottom of the second. Following a throwing error, the Lady Railsplitters' Ty-Kella Goins advanced to second off of a single and then reached home after a RBI sacrifice bunt from Teddi Collins. Both teams would remain scoreless for the rest of the game as Brandts allowed just two hits in the remaining five innings.
Both junior right fielder
Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) and Henzel finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate for UVa-Wise. Brandts struck out five and improved her record to 3-3 on the season, while Lincoln Memorial's Justice Smith (5-3) took the loss for the Lady Railsplitters after 2/3 innings of work.
In the first game of the afternoon, Lincoln Memorial tallied 11 hits and scored a run in four consecutive innings. The Cavs collected just five hits and left a total of nine base runners stranded.
Despite the Lady Railsplitters and UVa-Wise having chances to score in the first two innings, the two teams remained scoreless before Lincoln Memorial took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. The Lady Railsplitters' Kelsie Hocutt singled up the middle for an RBI, allowing Dakotah Fraley to score.
Lincoln Memorial earned two more runs in the bottom of the fourth after a two RBI double down the left field line by Ashlea Hunter. The Lady Railsplitters tacked on another run in the fifth when Meredith Johnson doubled to left center field for Hocutt to score.
Trailing 4-0, the Cavs loaded the bases in the top of the sixth but with two outs already recorded were unable to drive in a run. Lincoln Memorial registered four hits in the bottom of the inning and got two more runs as Hocutt singled to right center field, allowing both Fraley and Allie Jones to score for the second time of the game. The Lady Railsplitters' Brianna Taylor retired three straight UVa-Wise batters in the top of the seventh to secure the 6-0 win.
Hocutt finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI for Lincoln Memorial as Johnson went 2-for-3 and Jones 2-for-2. Sophomore catcher
Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.) went 2-for-2 in the game to lead the Cavs.
Taylor (7-3) pitched all seven innings to earn the complete game win for the Lady Railsplitters. Freshman right-hander
Raychel Lapallo (North Chesterfield, Va.) took the loss for UVa-Wise after tossing 3 1/3 innings inside the circle. Senior right-hander
Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief.
The Cavs will now travel to South Carolina for a pair of doubleheaders this weekend. UVa-Wise takes on Newberry College Saturday, March 11, in Newberry, South Carolina before facing Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina, Sunday, March 12. The doubleheader at Newberry begins at 1 p.m. while the games at Coker get underway at 12 p.m.
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uvawisecavs.com for all Cavalier softball news, statistics, complete schedule and more.
