WISE - - Freshman Jordan Turner sent the Cavalier faithful home happy Tuesday night as the former Clarke County High School standout doubled down the right field line to score Matthew Branham for a walk off victory in the bottom of the ninth as UVa-Wise upended the University of Charleston 4-3 in game two of a doubleheader at Stallard Field. The Golden Eagles won the opener 6-4 as the two schools split the four-game Mountain East Conference series.
UVa-Wise (16-26, 10-14 MEC) found itself in a two run deficit in the home seventh of game two when Josh Haga had an RBI fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 4-3. The Salem, Va. native then swiped second base before coming around to score on freshman Matthew Branham's RBI single to tie the game.
Freshman Greg Duncan fired back-to-back scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth inning, allowing the Cavaliers came to bat in the home ninth looking for a walk off victory.
After the first two hitters were retired, Branham walked on a 3-2 pitch to bring Turner to the plate. The Berryville, Va. product lined an 0-1 pitch down the right field line where it banged off the wall allowing Branham to beat the throw home and score the game-winning run.
Charleston (24-18, 12-12 MEC) scored single unearned runs in the sixth and seventh inning to take a 3-1 lead. Austin Hathaway got the Golden Eagles on the board in the top of the first inning when he lined the third pitch of the game over the left centerfield wall for a solo homer.
David Thomas tied the game for UVa-Wise when he matched Hathaway with a solo shot of his own in the fourth inning.
Duncan did not allow an earned run in three innings of work. The Centreville, Va. native allowed just two hits while striking out one to improve to 3-2 on the season.
Hathaway lined five hits in the loss to lead a nine-hit effort in the loss. Thomas picked up three hits for UVa-Wise, while Turner added a pair of hits in the nine-hit performance by the hosts.
Game one saw the Golden Eagles score a four-run frame to overcome a 4-2 deficit to post the 6-4 victory. Lee Carneal lined the game tying two-run single in the inning before a wild pitch allowed two runs to score.
Thomas, Stuart Paz, Tyler Blaum and Branham had a pair of hits each for UVa-Wise in the loss.
Gianfranco Morello had two hits to lead the Golden Eagles offense.
The Cavaliers will return to play Saturday at 1 p.m. against West Virginia Wesleyan. Â