SALEM, Va. - - UVa-Wise softball went 1-1 in the first round of the Mountain East Conference Softball Tournament Friday afternoon. The Cavaliers dropped their first game of the day to Wheeling Jesuit, 1-0, but rallied in the elimination game to fight off the Notre Dame Falcons with a 1-0 victory.
UVa-Wise (28-22) attempted to get on the board early in the first game. With one out in the top of the first, Bridget Henzel popped one up to center field, but a dropped ball by the Cardinals would allow Henzel to reach second on the play. Alexis Miles followed with a hit to left field putting runners in the corner for the Cavs. Wheeling would get two more outs to head into the bottom of the first as the Cavs left two on base.
Wheeling Jesuit (26-22) would push across its winning run in the bottom of the third. A walk and a single would put two on base for the Cardinals before Courtney Rogers knocked a two-out RBI single to left center field, scoring Cassie Holstein.
The Cavs would try to get a run across in the bottom of the seventh when pinch hitter Julia Hoy singled up the middle as Nikki Smith re-entered the lineup. With two outs, Madison David would pinch hit for Ava Hockey as she singled to left field, but Smith would be tagged out at third for the final out as the Cardinals secured a 1-0 win.
Taylor Brandts (15-11) surrendered the loss as she gave up three hits and fanned 11 in six innings inside the circle.
Wheeling's Mallory Chapman (17-13) earned the win, scattering seven hits and striking out five in a complete game effort.
UVa-Wise faced Notre Dame in its second game of the day as the Falcons fell to West Virginia Wesleyan earlier in the day.
Notre Dame (19-31) would get the first hit of the game in the top of the second frame on a two-out double off the bat of Zigmont. A pop up to third base on the next at bat would get the third out and keep the game scoreless.
Taylor Creasey would put the Cavs in scoring position in the bottom of the inning as she reached first on a hit by pitch and advanced to third on back-to-back groundouts. With Monica Brandts up to bat, Creasey would attempt to steal home, but was tagged out to send the Cavs into the third frame.
UVa-Wise would push across its winning run in the bottom of the fourth frame. Samantha Ely would walk on first base before back-to-back outs would bring Henzel to the plate as she singled up the middle while Ely advanced to second. Ely would score an unearned run on the next play as Smith reached first and advanced to second on a throwing error while Henzel advanced to third. UVa-Wise would be unable to drive home another run as they ended the inning with the bases loaded.
Notre Dame would get a leadoff triple off the bat of Amy Hoover to open up the sixth frame, but three consecutive outs would leave the runner stranded as the Cavs went on to earn a 1-0 shutout over the Falcons.
Hockey, Henzel, and Alexis Miles each recorded a hit for the Cavs.
Taylor Brandts improved to 16-11 with the win as she scattered three hits and struck out seven in a complete game effort inside the circle.
Notre Dame's Zigmont fell to 9-8 with the loss as she gave up three hits with seven strikeouts in six innings.
UVa-Wise will now advance to the next round of the tournament as they face the loser of the West Virginia State/Shepherd game at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
