WISE - - Softball picked up a doubleheader sweep of Urbana University at home Wednesday evening in an 11-3 game one win followed by a 10-1 game two victory at Cavalier Field.
Urbana put two runs on the scoreboard early in the top of the first when Mia Smallwood drove home two on a single through the right side.
UVa-Wise responded in the home half of the frame with a two-out single by sophomore Alexis Miles followed by a double off the bat of sophomore Kaylee Jones plating Miles while Jones advanced to third on the throw. Another base hit for the Cavs by senior Shannon Bennett then scored Jones as UVa-Wise evened the game at 2-2 heading into the top of the third.
Both teams added one more run in the third inning with a fly out to center field driving home one for the Blue Knights. Junior Nikki Smith drove home senior Ava Hockey in the bottom of the frame on a two-out RBI double to knot the game once more at 3-3.
The Cavs pushed five more across in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out RBI triple by Hockey followed by an RBI single off the bat of Smith before back-to-back homers by junior Taylor Creasey and Miles plated the final three runs of the frame for an 8-3 Cavalier advantage.
A three-run bottom of the sixth for UVa-Wise invoked the mercy rule as the Cavs took game one 11-3 in six innings.
UVa-Wise recorded a season-high 14 hits en route to the game one victory as junior Raychel Lapallo (9-7) picked up the win scattering three hits with a pair of strikeouts across six frames.
Urbana's Kayleigh Pate (2-24) gave up nine hits with one strikeout in 3 2/3 innings inside the circle.
The Cavs carried their strong offensive performance into the second game of the day with an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A one-out walk followed by a hit-by-pitch put UVa-Wise in position to score as the runners advanced on a foul out to right field. An RBI single by Bennett and a Blue Knights error plated Creasey and Miles to end the frame.
Urbana recorded its second hit of the day on a leadoff base hit in the top of the second but would leave a runner stranded for the second time in the game.
UVa-Wise tacked on six more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Hockey's leadoff single would be followed by a one-out double to left off the bat of Creasey. Miles single on the next at bat in addition to an Urbana error plated two and advanced Miles to third. Another error scored Miles on the next at bat. A double by sophomore Casey Chambers and a triple to right by pinch hitter Katie Russell drove home the final runs of the inning as the Cavs took a 8-0 lead into the third.
With Urbana yet to score, sophomore Kaylee Jones recorded the Cavs third bomb of the day on a two-run homer to right center scoring Miles to extend the lead to 10-0 over the Blue Knights.
The Blue Knights posted three more hits in the top of the fifth, scoring its first run of the game on an RBI single to right center, but sophomore Kailyn Spencer would record her third strikeout of the game to get the final out and earn the doubleheader sweep with a five-inning 10-1 game two victory.
Spencer (7-6) scattered six hits and struck out three in the win across five innings inside the circle.
The Blue Knights' Izzy Helm allowed nine hits and walked two in 2 2/3 innings as she fell to 0-8 on the season.
UVa-Wise softball will play its final two games of an eight-game homestand against Notre Dame College Thursday as the team recognizes its four graduating members on Senior Day. The doubleheader is set to begin at 2 p.m. at Cavalier Field with Senior Day festivities taking place between games.
