AVON, Ohio - - Behind solid pitching and timely hitting, UVa-Wise claimed a doubleheader sweep of host Notre Dame College at Sprenger Stadium Saturday. The Cavaliers used a four-run seventh to win the opener 4-3 before collecting five, two-out RBI in a 5-1 triumph in the night cap.
On the day, Cavaliers' (7-12, 4-2 MEC) hurlers allowed just two earned runs, freshman right-hander Jake Osburn won his first collegiate game in the finale as he tossed four innings without allowing an earned run before fellow freshman Clay Naff fired three innings of scoreless relief to pick up his first save.
Game one saw Notre Dame (2-17, 0-6 MEC) break a scoreless tie in the fifth inning on a Zach Santoro RBI single. The Falcons tacked on a second run in the inning when UVa-Wise committed an error.
The score would remain unchanged until the Cavaliers' bats came to life in their final trip to the plate.
Brock Smith was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before Jordon Turner singled up the middle to put two on with none out. After an out, senior Stuart Paz delivered the game's only extra base hit when he doubled inside the right field line to score Smith and move Turner to third.
A hitter later, David Thomas strung together a lengthy at bat before lining a base hit to left field to tie the score 2-2.
UVa-Wise would take its first lead of the afternoon when Matthew Branham laid down a safety squeeze and Paz slid around a tag on a play at the plate to make the score 3-2.
Tyler Blaum would deliver an insurance run when he singled home Thomas to push the lead to two heading to the bottom of the seventh.
Hank Banner then went to his closer, Matthew Wilkinson. The senior would allow an infield single before an error put two on with none out.
Following a sacrifice bunt put both runners in scoring position, a wild pitch made it a 4-3 contest and put the tying run 90 feet away.
UVa-Wise elected to play its infield in and Ryan Phillips hit a one-hopper to shortstop Turner. The sophomore checked the runner at third and fired across the diamond for the second out of the frame.
Wilkinson would record his second save in as many tries as he induced a game-ending fly out.
Blaum was the only player to record a multi-hit game for either squad as he finished 2-for-4.
Joe Catalani earned the mound win as he tossed six innings, struck out three walked one and scattered seven hits while allowing two runs (one earned).
Todd Marshall suffered the loss as he surrendered four runs in two innings of work.
The momentum from the end of game one carried over to game two as Timmy Meador lined a two-out two-run double in the top of the first.
An inning later, Paz tallied a two-out two-run single to put the Cavs in front 4-0.
Matt Wright picked up the fifth two-out RBI of the game in the third as his base hit staked Osburn to a 5-0 advantage.
The freshman allowed just two hits in his four innings of work while the only run he allowed was unearned as he posted his first collegiate win (1-0).
Naff came out of the bullpen and walked the first two men he faced before not allowing another baserunner until the bottom of the seventh.
The Falcons would line back-to-back one out hits before consecutive groundouts sealed the win.
With the victory, UVa-Wise pushed its winning streak to a season-high four games.
Paz, Branham and Wright all had two hits in the win as Cavaliers' hitters struck out just twice in the game and six times in the doubleheader.
UVa-Wise will look to keep its winning ways going tomorrow in a doubleheader at Urbana University.
