SALEM, Va. – UVa-Wise softball defeated No. 1 North Division seed Shepherd University 3-1 Saturday evening in the 2017 Mountain East Conference consolation bracket final at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex. With the victory, the No. 2 South Division-seeded Cavaliers (34-16) advance to the championship round of the MEC Tournament. It's the second time in program history UVa-Wise has reached the championship round of the league's postseason tournament.
 
Earlier in the day, the Cavs dropped a 2-0 decision to No. 1 South seed and nationally-ranked West Virginia Wesleyan in the winner's bracket final. It was UVa-Wise's first defeat of the tournament and snapped a 12-game Cav winning streak, their longest of the season.
 
Consolation Bracket Final
UVa-Wise 3, Shepherd University 1
 
A day after defeating the Rams (38-20) in the semifinals of the winner's bracket, UVa-Wise lined eight hits and scored a run in each of the first three innings as senior right-handed pitcher Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) picked up her first MEC Tournament win inside the circle. Despite committing three errors in the contest, the Cavs gave up just one unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Shepherd collected seven hits in the game but left nine base runners stranded.
 
UVa-Wise got the bats going early in the top of the opening inning and took a 1-0 lead when junior third baseman Samantha Ely (Jonesville, Va.) knocked in an RBI single for senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) to score. Junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.) made it a 2-0 game in the top of the second when she singled down the left field line and scored freshman shortstop Nikki Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) for the RBI.
 
In the top of the third it Smith who singled to center field for an RBI and brought home senior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.) to make it 3-0.
 
Perhaps the play of the game came in the bottom of the fourth when the Rams got two hits but were thrown out at home plate. Shepherd first baseman Conor Gilligan singled and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, before a single by designated player Lori Sturgill gave Gilligan a chance to score. However, a tremendous throw from Millard and a great tag by junior catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) recorded the third out of the inning for the Cavs and prevented a Ram run.
 
Shepherd got its lone score of the game in the bottom of the sixth after loading the bases thanks in large part to two UVa-Wise fielding errors. A RBI single up the middle by Sturgill scored Gilligan from third to make it a two-run game. The Rams got a fielder's choice and made a double play for a quick half inning in the seventh, before Kale retired three of four batters in the bottom of the frame to secure the Cavs' victory.
 
Millard and Ely each went 2-for-4 at the plate in the game and tallied an RBI, while Hernandez finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Shepherd's Sturgill was a perfect 3-for-3 with a RBI as third baseman Alexandra Witt went 2-for-3.
 
Kale (7-4) picked up her seventh win of the season after striking out two and not giving up an earned run in seven complete innings of work. The Rams' Tara Hanson (20-6) took the loss after giving up two earned runs in one and 2/3 innings pitched. Kaitlin Munda went five and 1/3 innings inside the circle for Shepherd and struck out four.
 
The win has major regional implications as the Rams came into the MEC Tournament ranked No. 4 in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region and UVa-Wise is currently seventh.
 
Winner's Bracket Final
No. 7 West Virginia Wesleyan 2, UVa-Wise 0
 
In the first game of the day, the Cavs had plenty of opportunities but were shutout 2-0 in a pitcher's duel. UVa-Wise claimed five hits and limited the Bobcats (43-6), who are ranked No. 7 in the nation according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll and No. 2 in the Atlantic Region, to just four hits. The Cavs could not score a run after leaving nine base runners stranded.
 
Both of West Virginia Wesleyan's runs came in the bottom of the sixth when third baseman Jessica Rodriguez hit a two RBI single to center field following a single by second baseman Brooklyn Waddell and a pair of walks. Both Waddell and left fielder Olivia Gore scored on the play to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
 
Junior right-hander Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) retired six consecutive batters to begin the game but UVa-Wise left a pair of base runners stranded in each of the first, fourth and fifth innings. The Cavs worked themselves out of a jam in the bottom of the third after West Virginia Wesleyan claimed two hits in the frame. A pickoff/caught stealing from Henzel to Ely and then a groundout got UVa-Wise out of the inning despite the Bobcats having runners on second and third with just one out.
 
The Cavs loaded the bases in the top of the sixth thanks to a hit by pitch, Bobcat fielding error, and walk but could not bring anybody across home plate with two outs. After a groundout and a single in the top of the seventh, UVa-Wise lined into a double play to make the 2-0 score final.
 
Hernandez went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Cavs, while Brandts (21-6) took the loss after striking out five and giving up three walks in six innings of work.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan's Hannah Vet (22-2), the MEC Pitcher of the Year, claimed the win for the Bobcats and earned her 10th shutout of the season with four strikeouts.
 
UVa-Wise will face No. 1 South seed West Virginia Wesleyan once again in Sunday's championship round game. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. from the Moyer Sports Complex. In order to capture the league tournament title, UVa-Wise will need to defeat West Virginia Wesleyan twice Sunday.
 
If necessary, game two of Sunday's championship round will be played at approximately 3 p.m. or 30 minutes after the first game of the day.
 
The Cavs are 1-0 in MEC Tournament championship round games after claiming the 2014 league tournament title when they defeated top-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan 6-2.
 
Tickets to the MEC Tournament can be purchased at the gate and are $10 per day for adults and $5 per day for students.
 
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