SALEM, Va. – The UVa-Wise softball team reached the 2017 Mountain East Conference Tournament title game but dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 1 South Division seed West Virginia Wesleyan Sunday afternoon at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia. The No. 2 South-seeded Cavaliers (35-17) picked up a 3-0, eight-inning victory over the Bobcats (44-7) in game one of the MEC Tournament Championship to reach the title game.
 
The two-game split with West Virginia Wesleyan, who is ranked No. 7 in the nation according to the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll, has major regional implications as the Bobcats entered the MEC Tournament ranked No. 2 in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region, while UVa-Wise is seventh. The early afternoon win over West Virginia Wesleyan was The Cavs' third win against a nationally-ranked opponent this season and UVa-Wise's second victory over the Bobcats this year.
 
The title game loss was the first MEC Tournament Championship loss for the softball program after claiming the 2014 league tournament title.
 
Game One
UVa-Wise 3, No. 7 West Virginia Wesleyan 0
 
It took seven complete innings in the first game of the championship round before the Cavs scored three runs in the top of the eighth. UVa-Wise lined eight hits in the game, four of which came in the eighth inning, and was able to reach home in just its second time having a runner in scoring position. Junior right-hander Taylor Brandts (King George, Va.) was sensational for the Cavs in the game, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out four.
 
Leaving six stranded, the Bobcats had a runner in scoring position just twice and never advanced anyone past second base. Despite leaving eight base runners stranded, UVa-Wise took advantage of its opportunities.
 
The Cavs quickly loaded the bases in the top of the eighth courtesy of three consecutive singles by junior right fielder Zoe Millard (Glen Allen, Va.), senior second baseman Alexa Hernandez (Woodbridge, Va.) and junior third baseman Samantha Ely. UVa-Wise turned to its cleanup hitter, senior first baseman Olivia Cleary (Riner, Va.), and she delivered with a two RBI double to right center field. Millard and Hernandez both scored on the play to give the Cavs a 2-0 lead with no outs. Sophomore left fielder Shannon Bennett (Covington, Va.) then grounded out for an RBI, allowing Ely to reach home and give UVa-Wise the 3-0 advantage.
 
Taylor Brandts retired three-straight batters in the bottom of the eighth to secure the game one win. Ely finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate with her run scored, while Cleary went 1-for-4 with her pair of RBIs. With her near nation-best 15th complete game shutout of the season, Taylor Brandts improved to 22-6 on the season.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan's Hannah Vet (22-3), the MEC Pitcher of the Year, took the loss after striking out none and walking two.
 
Game Two
No. 7 West Virginia Wesleyan 3, UVa-Wise 0
 
The tournament title game was quite the opposite of the first game of the afternoon as the Bobcats tallied three unearned runs in the bottom of the opening inning. Much like the Cavs in game one, West Virginia Wesleyan collected eight hits as the Bobcats' Sayaka Foley stifled UVa-Wise to just four hits.
 
The Cavs never got a base runner in scoring position and left five stranded on first in the game. Foley retired six of the first seven UVa-Wise batters and finished the game with an impressive 10 strikeouts and no walks.
 
Following a Cavalier fielding error, a walk and a base-advancing groundout in the bottom of the first inning, West Virginia Wesleyan third baseman Jessica Rodriguez singled to left center field with two outs for a pair of RBI. Left fielder Olivia Gore and center fielder Tori Pogue scored on the play to give the Bobcats a 2-0 advantage. After a single by right fielder Morgan Bruce, West Virginia Wesleyan designated player Waggoner singled to left center field for an RBI as Rodriguez scored another unearned run.
 
UVa-Wise got its first hit in the contest in the top of the third when Millard singled to the pitcher. The Cavs prevented a fourth Bobcat run in the bottom of the third when Millard connected with junior catcher Bridget Henzel (Toano, Va.) to throw out West Virginia Wesleyan's Bruce at home plate following a single by Waggoner. UVa-Wise allowed just two hits in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings but were only able to record a single in three of the final four frames. The Bobcats' Bruce made a diving catch in right field to collect the third out of the seventh inning, clinching the 2017 MEC Tournament title for West Virginia Wesleyan.
 
Bruce and Waggoner finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Bobcats, while Rodriguez went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan's Foley (17-3) tossed all seven innings to earn the complete game shutout. Senior right-hander Emily Kale (Shelby, N.C.) (7-5) took the loss for the Cavs after four innings of work inside the circle. Freshman right-hander Raychel Lapallo (North Chesterfield, Va.) pitched two innings in relief and struck out two with no walks.
 
Hernandez, Taylor Brandts and Ely were named to the MEC All-Tournament Team as West Virginia Wesleyan second baseman Brooklyn Waddell was named tournament MVP. Taylor Brandts went 3-1 in the league's postseason tournament and owned a 0.50 ERA after striking out 22 in 28 innings of work. Hernandez hit a team-best .333 for the tournament, collected six hits, including two doubles, and scored twice. She posted a .444 slugging percentage and a .400 on base percentage for the week. Ely hit .316 in the six games, registering six hits and two RBI while scoring once. The third baseman putout 19, assisted on 22 others and did not make an error.
 
The Cavs will now await their NCAA postseason fate with the 2017 NCAA Division II Softball Championship selection show tomorrow morning, Monday, May 8, at 10 a.m. The selection show will be streamed live on NCAA.com. The softball team is trying to become the first UVa-Wise athletics program in school history to earn an at-large bid to a NCAA Championship.
 
Visit uvawisecavs.com for all Cavalier softball news, statistics, complete schedule and more.