WISE - - UVa-Wise built a 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-3 win over Glenville State College in game two of a doubleheader Tuesday to take three of four games from the Pioneers in a series that began Friday. Glenville State used a five-run seventh inning to take the opener 10-3 for its only win in the four-game series.
UVa-Wise (13-17, 10-6 MEC) raced out to a 1-0 lead after an inning of play in game two thanks to a two-strike, two-out RBI double off the bat of Brock Smith. An inning later, the Cavaliers plated three runs as sophomore Josh Haga had a bunt single RBI before junior Brett Yates lined a two-run double down the right field line.
It would be all the run support the pitching trio of Jake Osburn, Jimmy Vanosdale and Greg Duncan would need.
Osburn retired the first six batters he faced before allowing a leadoff single in the third inning. After recording a fly out, things went south for the freshman hurler.
Glenville State (10-19, 7-9 MEC) shortstop Logan Henderson would walk before designated hitter Trevon Smith hammered a three-run homer over the right field wall to make it a 4-3 game.
The Pioneers would be stymied the rest of the afternoon by clutch defense and pitching by the hosts.
Glenville State would strand the tying run in the third before putting the first two on in the fourth against Osburn.
At that point, UVa-Wise skipper Hank Banner went to Vanosdale out of the bullpen. The Rockwood, Tenn. product would make a fine play on a sacrifice bunt attempt to cut down the lead runner before inducing a fly out for the first two outs of the inning. The freshman right-hander then struck out Henderson to retire the side.
An inning later, the visitors would have two men on with one out only to see Vanosdale work out of a jam again, this time with help from his defense. With cleanup hitter Anthony Jarvis at the plate, left fielder David Thomas made a diving play in foul territory to record the inning's second out. Thomas' play precluded a 4-to-6 fielder's choice to end the threat.
Vanosdale would pitch a perfect sixth to set the stage for the seventh inning.
Banner would go to game one starter Duncan to record the game's final three outs. The sophomore would get pinch hitter Zach Bacon to pop out to begin the frame before Smith laced an 0-2 pitch into left field to get the go-ahead run to the plate.
The UVa-Wise defense would flash some leather once more to end the game. Shortstop Jordon Turner fielded a hot shot up the middle before flipping to Yates who fired to Brock Smith for the game ending 6-4-3 double play.
With the win, the Cavs improved to 7-2 in one-run games and remained in second place in the Mountain East Conference Southern Division standings.
Thomas and Haga each went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the win. Vanosdale (3-1) earned the win by firing three scoreless innings of relief. His final stat line read three innings, two hits, two strikeouts and no walks as part of a 33-pitch effort.
Duncan earned his second save of the year by pitching the scoreless seventh.
Smith was 3-for-4 in the loss, no other Pioneer recorded more than one hit in the loss.
Brady Wilkinson dropped to 1-6 on the mound as the junior surrendered four runs on six hits in two innings of work.
Game one saw the Pioneers jump out to a four-run lead over the game's first three innings. Glenville State used a John Peloro base hit to take a 1-0 lead in the first before taking advantage of an error, a walk and a balk to plate three runs in the third.
UVa-Wise jumped back into the game on a three-run homer by Smith in the fifth before the five-run seventh proved to be the difference.
Braniff and Henderson each went 2-for-3 in the win while Bryan Bayliss had a pair of RBI.
James Finnemore improved to 1-1 on the mound by tossing 4 2/3 innings of two-run baseball.
The Cavs are scheduled to be back in action Saturday against West Virginia State at Stallard Field when the schools begin a four-game weekend set.
