WISE - - Softball put up a fighting effort in a pair of games against No. 24 Shepherd University Monday afternoon. UVa-Wise fell just short in a 5-4 loss in eight innings to the Rams in game one before earning a 2-0 shutout over Shepherd in the second game of the day.
Shepherd put its first run across in the top of the third on an RBI double to left field off the bat of Connor Gilligan who plated Kaitlyn Konopka. The Rams took a 2-0 lead later in the fifth with a pair of singles putting runners on base for the Rams before an RBI single up the middle by Nicole Purtell drove home pinch runner Daisy Adams for a 2-0 Rams lead before extending their advantage to 4-0 an inning later.
UVa-Wise scored its first two runs of the day in the home half of the sixth. A hit by pitch put senior Ava Hockey on base before a two-run bomb off the bat of sophomore Alexis Miles dug into the Rams lead, 4-2.
Senior Lucindy Lawson's one-out double in the bottom of the seventh put the Cavs in position to score once again as junior Julia Hoy blasted UVa-Wise's second two-run homerun of the day to knot the game 4-4 and send the game into extra innings.
A single up the middle put a runner on for Shepherd as the Rams pitcher Taylor Stocks knocked a two-out triple to right to regain the lead for Shepherd in the top of the eighth. UVa-Wise would not be able to get a hit in the home half as the Rams took game one, 5-4.
UVa-Wise finished with three hits as junior Raychel Lapallo (7-7) suffered the loss, scattering 10 hits and fanning three in a complete game effort.
Shepherd's Stock improved to 15-1 on the season as she allowed just three hits and struck out six across eight innings.
The Cavs were able to get a run across early in game two as sophomore Kaylee Jones reached base on a hit by pitch before advancing on a wild pitch and scoring on a passed ball for a 1-0 Cavalier advantage.
UVa-Wise looked to score again in the home half of the fourth but would leave two stranded as they held onto a one-run lead into the fifth frame.
In the bottom of the fifth, a one-out walk put sophomore Casey Chambers on first before she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hockey. Junior Nikki Smith's double on the next at-bat sent home Chambers to take a 2-0 Cavalier lead.
UVa-Wise put themselves in position to score once more in the bottom of the sixth but left one on base into the top of the final frame.
Shepherd recorded one hit in the final inning but would leave two stranded as the Cavs earned a 2-0 shutout in game two.
The Ram's Lori Sturgill fell to 11-4 on the year as she scattered just two hits and struck out seven in six innings inside the circle.
Sophomore Kailyn Spencer improved to 6-5 with the win as she allowed three hits with three strike outs across seven innings.
Softball returns to Cavalier Field tomorrow for a doubleheader against Fairmont State beginning at 2 p.m.
