WISE, Va. – The UVa-Wise softball team swept visiting Concord University Wednesday afternoon at Cavalier Field in a pivotal Mountain East Conference doubleheader on senior day. The Cavaliers (29-15, 20-8 MEC) picked up a 3-0 game one win against the regionally ranked Mountain Lions (28-24, 17-11 MEC), before defeating Concord 2-1 in the second game of the day.
 
Despite the UVa-Wise defense committing five errors in the field, the Cavs lined a combined 13 hits in the doubleheader while giving up just seven total hits. UVa-Wise got big plays from its three seniors in the opening game of the day and got a two-run home run from junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) in game two. Senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) and senior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) accounted for all three of the Cavs' three scores in game one.
 
UVa-Wise tallied eight hits in the first game of the afternoon and struck early with two runs in the opening inning. Hernandez connected on her fifth home run of the season, a solo blast over the left center field fence, to give the Cavs' a 1-0 lead after just their second at bat. Moments later, Cleary doubled to right field for an RBI as Ely scored from first base. Three and a half innings of scoreless play ensued as senior right-hander Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) did an excellent job inside the circle to keep the Mountain Lions from even reaching third base. UVa-Wise got its third run of the game in unearned fashion in the bottom of the fifth. Following a pair of walks, Cleary fouled out to right field as Hernandez advanced to third and then scored on a Concord throwing error back into the infield. The play actually ended up resulting in the third out of the frame when junior catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) was tagged out at third base.
 
The Mountain Lions left three stranded in the top of the sixth and Kale retired three straight in the top of the seventh to secure the game one victory. Junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate, while Hernandez went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a RBI and a walk.
 
In her final game at Cavalier Field, Kale earned her second complete game shutout of the season and improved her record to 6-4 after striking out five and walking none. Concord's Sarah Herndon (6-9) took the loss after tossing all six innings and striking out two.
 
Just like game one, the second game of the afternoon featured just three total runs scored. The Cavs held the Mountain Lions to just two hits in game two but three UVa-Wise errors gave Concord more scoring opportunities.
 
The Mountain Lions scored their first run of the day in the opening inning on a RBI single that followed a Cavalier throwing error. First baseman Kylie Kent reached on the error and then was brought home from second for the unearned run on a RBI single to center field by center fielder Lauren Lewis. Trailing 1-0, UVa-Wise loaded the bases with two outs in the second but could not bring anybody across home plate.
 
In the bottom of the third, Hernandez reached on a Concord fielding error and then advanced to second on a wild pitch before Ely knocked out her fifth homer of the season. The two-run bomb over the right center field fence gave the Cavs a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish. The Mountain Lions got a base runner to third base in both the fourth and fifth innings but the UVa-Wise defense kept Concord from scoring after plays by freshman shortstop Nikki Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) ended each frame.
 
Junior right-hander Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) retired eight consecutive batters to end the game and needed just three pitches to record three outs in the seventh inning.
 
Cleary finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate as Ely went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Taylor Brandts struck out three, walked none and did not give up an earned run en route to her 17th win of the season. The Mountain Lions' right-hander Allie Reid (12-8) took the loss after pitching all six innings and collecting four strikeouts.
 
With their 20th conference win, the Cavs match the most MEC wins in a season since joining the league. UVa-Wise posted a 20-6 MEC record in 2014, the inaugural softball season of the league. Winning their 29th overall game of the season, the Cavs have exceeded their win total from a year ago (28).
 
The Cavs wrap up the regular season this weekend with a pair of road doubleheaders at eighth-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan Saturday and at Glenville State College Sunday. Game one of both doubleheaders will get underway at 1 p.m. with game two following. UVa-Wise split games against the nationally-ranked Lady Bobcats earlier this season at Cavalier Field and swept the Lady Pioneers.
 
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