WISE - - Cavalier softball split its first Mountain East Conference doubleheader of the season against the University of Charleston Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles topped the Cavs 13-3 in game one before UVa-Wise rallied for a 5-2 game two victory. With the win, Co-Head Coach Karen Bitter notched her 200th career win at UVa-Wise in her eighth season with the team.

Scoreless through the first inning, the Cavs (6-9, 1-1 MEC) pulled ahead by a run on senior Shannon Bennett's triple to right field scoring junior Taylor Creasey.

The Golden Eagles (6-9, 1-1 MEC) gained the lead in the top of the third frame with a three-run inning giving them a 3-1 advantage. A single to center field followed by an error put runners on first and second for Charleston. With just one out, Hannah Christopher hit a three-run blast as the Golden Eagles left one on base going into the bottom of the third.

Sophomore Alexis Miles' responded in the home half of the inning with a two-out homer to center field to trail Charleston by one run, 3-2, into the fourth.

Charleston put two more runs on the board in the top of the fifth with a leadoff homer to center field for a 4-2 lead. An RBI single pushed across the Golden Eagles second run of the inning as Charleston gained a 5-2 advantage into the bottom of the frame.

In the home half of the fifth, Bennett knocked a leadoff double to center field followed by back-to-back walks with two outs put UVa-Wise in position to score. A ground out to the shortstop left the bases loaded to close out the inning with the Cavs trailing 5-2.

The Golden Eagles extended their lead to 8-2 with a pair of singles driving home three runs in the top of the sixth.

UVa-Wise plated one more run in the bottom of the frame on a leadoff bomb to right center field off the bat of Creasey.

Charleston ended the game with a five-run inning in the top of the seventh as UVa-Wise failed to score again in the bottom of the frame to give the Golden Eagles a 13-3 game one win.

Miles finished going 2-for-3 at the plate while Bennett was a perfect 3-for-3 with a single, double, and triple in the game. Creasey led the team with two runs.

Sophomore Kailyn Spencer fell to 3-3 with the loss as she allowed 13 hits and a pair of strikeouts across seven innings inside the circle.

Charleston's Carley Turner improved to 4-5 with the win as she scattered seven hits and struck out nine in a complete game effort.

UVa-Wise recharged for game two with the Cavs getting on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second.

A leadoff double off the bat of junior Julia Hoy put UVa-Wise in position to score early as senior Ava Hockey sent the first baseman to third on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Lucindy Lawson's first hit of the day drove home Hoy as Lawson connected for an RBI single to right center field to give the Cavs a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Creasey walked on the Cavs first at-bat with another Bennett single advancing Creasey to third. An error on the next at-bat scored Creasey for a 2-0 UVa-Wise lead as Bennet advanced to third. UVa-Wise loaded the bases once again, but two more outs ended the frame with the Cavs still in the lead.

UVa-Wise scored another run in the home half of the fifth on an RBI single off the bat of Hockey sending home junior Nikki Smith for a 3-0 advantage.

Charleston scored its first runs of the day in the top of the sixth with a two-out single followed by a home run to center field scoring two for the Golden Eagles as they trailed by just one, 3-2, into the home half of the frame.

The Cavs responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back singles followed by a sacrifice bunt putting runners on second and third for UVa-Wise. A groundout and single to center field scored sophomore Kaylee Jones and Miles to put the Cavs ahead 5-2.

A ground out, pop out, and ground out for Charleston ended the game as the Cavs picked up their first conference win of the season.

Eight Cavaliers recorded one hit in the game while Bennett added two hits of her own. UVa-Wise finished with 10 hits total and no errors in the game two win.

Junior Raychel Lapallo (2-5) picked up her second win of the season as she scattered four hits with a pair of strikeouts in a complete game effort.

Charleston's Carlee Lucas (1-4) suffered the loss allowing five hits with one strikeout in 2 1/3 innings inside the circle.

Softball returns to Cavalier Field tomorrow for a conference doubleheader against West Virginia State. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m.