WISE, Va. – UVa-Wise softball extended its win streak to six Friday afternoon at Cavalier Field after a pair of walk-off home runs and a no-hitter by freshman right-hander Raychel Lapallo (North Chesterfield, Va.) willed the Cavaliers (27-15, 18-8 MEC) to two wins over Notre Dame College. A two-run homer by freshman shortstop Nikki Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) propelled UVa-Wise to a 4-2, nine-inning game one win, before junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) knocked out a two-run bomb in the fifth inning of game two to give the Cavs a 9-0 victory.
 
Withstanding a two hour and 14 minute lightning and then rain delay in the second game of the afternoon, UVa-Wise recorded 22 total hits to earn the Mountain East Conference home doubleheader sweep. The Cavs lined 11 hits in each game, tallied four homers and scored 13 times as both Smith and Millard connected on their first career home runs, doing so in walk-off fashion.  
 
The Cavs limited the visiting Falcons (19-26, 9-17 MEC) to just four total hits on the day, thanks in large part to Lapallo's game two no-hitter. The freshman became the third UVa-Wise pitcher to complete the feat this season, following two no-hit performances from junior righty Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) and one by senior right-hander Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.). The Cavs became the first softball team in all of NCAA Division II this season to register four no-hitters with three different pitchers. Only Chowan University has compiled as many no-hitters as UVa-Wise in 2017, while Benedict College is the only other school to have three different pitchers post no-hit performances.
 
Trailing for six and a half innings, the Cavs used a seventh-inning rally to force extra innings in game one. All six runs of the contest were scored via home runs as Notre Dame College went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first. Falcon first baseman Emily Kusmits snapped Taylor Brandts' eight-game shutout streak and 56 innings of scoreless ball when she homered over the center field fence on just the fourth pitch of the game. Despite UVa-Wise tallying four hits, four and a half scoreless innings of play ensued before Notre Dame College got another homer run in the top of the fifth. The Falcons' designated player, Samantha Saalfrank, took one just over the right field fence on a two-out at bat to give Notre Dame College a 2-0 lead.
 
The Cavs got just one hit the sixth before grabbing three in the bottom of the seventh and scoring on two solo back-to-back home runs. Senior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) took the first pitch as the leadoff batter in the seventh and drilled it over the center field fence for UVa-Wise's first score of the day and her fifth homer of the season. Sophomore left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) then earned her first home run of the season and just the second of her career when she cleared the left field fence on a 3-1 pitch, tying the game at 2-2.
 
In extra innings it was three up, three down in the first inning and a half for both teams before the Cavs got a single from Cleary. A sacrifice bunt by Bennett advanced freshman pinch runner Kelsy Padgett (Goodview, Va.) before Smith took the first pitch she saw with two outs and launched her first career home run over left field for a two-run walk-off win.
 
Cleary finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with a RBI and a run scored, while Smith went 2-for-3 with her two RBIs. Both senior designated player Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) and junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) were 2-for-4.
 
Taylor Brandts (16-5) picked up her 16th win of the season after tossing all nine innings inside the circle and striking out eight. The Falcons' Kusmits (6-7) pitched 2 2/3 innings in relief to take the loss after earning two strikeouts in the seventh.
 
Unlike game one, UVa-Wise had no trouble scoring early in the second contest of the afternoon. The Cavs claimed three unearned runs in the bottom of the first after a Notre Dame College fielding error. Bennett brought in the first runs of the game when she hit a two RBI double to center field, scoring both Hernandez and Ely. Freshman second baseman Alexis Sheehan (King George, Va.) then singled through the left side to score Bennett and give UVa-Wise a 3-0 advantage.
 
The Cavs got two more runs in the third when Bennett and Hernandez scored once again on a two RBI double to right field by sophomore catcher Lucindy Lawson (Duffield, Va.). With two outs and two strikes on Cleary in the bottom of the fourth inning the game was halted due to lightning in the area. Following two lightning delays and a rain delay, UVa-Wise able to return to the field and remove the tarp for play.
 
UVa-Wise scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to end the game on the run rule. Lawson collected her third RBI of the game when she singled down the left field line to bring in Bennett, before a sacrifice fly from junior pinch hitter Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) scored Sheehan and gave the Cavs a commanding 7-0 lead. With Lawson on second base, Millard crushed her first career homer over the right field fence for a two RBI walk-off.
 
Bennett finished the game 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and two RBIs, while Sheehan went 2-for-2 with a RBI, a run and a walk. Lawson had a 2-for-3 performance with three RBIs and a score. Earning her first career no-hitter, Lapallo (5-6) struck out three in five complete innings of work.
 
The Falcons' Kusmits (6-8) took the loss for Notre Dame College after giving up five runs, two earned in 2 2/3 innings inside the circle.
 
The Cavs wrap up the home portion of their schedule Wednesday, April 26 with a senior day doubleheader versus Concord University. Game times are set for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. with seniors Olivia Cleary, Alexa Hernandez and Emily Kale being recognized in between games.
 
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