WISE, Va. – Redshirt junior right-hander Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) pitched a no-hitter and head coach Karen Bitter claimed her 150th career win as the UVa-Wise softball team split a pair of Mountain East Conference games with Shepherd University Friday afternoon at Cavalier Field. The Cavaliers (21-15, 12-8 MEC) blanked the visiting Rams (24-15, 11-9 MEC) 2-0 in game one before being nipped 4-2 in the second game of the afternoon. The game one no-hitter was the second for the UVa-Wise pitching staff this season as senior right-hander Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) accomplished the feat on March 23 versus Bluefield State College.
 
The Cavs lined 10 hits on the day and limited Shepherd to just four, but committed four errors in the field and left a combined 14 base runners stranded. All four of the Rams' runs on the afternoon were unearned and came off of a grand slam by second baseman Debbie Stuart in game two.
 
UVa-Wise collected three hits in game one and took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the opening inning following a Shepherd fielding error. Junior catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) doubled to left field for an RBI, scoring senior designated player Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.). The Cavs tacked on another run in the bottom of the fourth after loading the bases. Freshman shortstop Nikki Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) was hit by pitch for a RBI, allowing senior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) to reach home from third. Despite still having the basses loaded with only one out in the frame, UVa-Wise was unable to bring anybody else across home plate.
 
Neither team recorded a hit in the final two and a half innings as Taylor Brandts completed the no-hitter for her sixth consecutive shutout and ninth of the season. She struck out eight batters and walked just two to improve her record to 13-5 on the season. Freshman second baseman Alexis Sheehan (King George, Va.) went 1-for-2 at the plate and was walked once.
 
The Rams' Tara Hanson (11-4) took the loss for Shepherd after pitching all six innings and striking out four.
 
The Cavs tallied seven hits in the second game of the afternoon but were only able to score two runs as the Rams posted four hits and were aided by three UVa-Wise errors. Once again the Cavs got on the board in the first inning, this time scoring a pair of runs on a hard-hit home run over the center field fence by Henzel. The two-run shot allowed junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) to score and was Henzel's team-leading fifth homer of the year.
 
Shepherd responded in the top of the third, scoring four runs on a center field grand slam by the Rams' Stuart. All four runs were unearned due to an earlier Cavalier error but gave Shepherd a 4-2 lead that it would not relinquish. UVa-Wise got a pair of singles and two runners on in the bottom of the sixth with only one out but a popup and a ground out ended the inning. Down to their last batter in the bottom of the seventh, the Cavs got a runner on and an advance to second on a wild pitch but a popup gave the Rams their final out of the game.
 
Stuart finished 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and a run scored for Shepherd as first baseman Conor Gilligan went 1-for-2 and scored once. Henzel had a 1-for-3, two RBI and one run performance while junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) went 1-for-2 and was hit by a pitch.
 
The Rams' Lori Sturgill (5-2) claimed the win for the Rams after tossing 6 1/3 innings and striking out two with only one walk. Kale (4-4) went the distance in the circle to take the loss for UVa-Wise, but did not give up an earned run and struck out three.
 
The Cavs continue their 10-game homestand tomorrow when they host Fairmont State University. First pitch from Cavalier Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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