BUCKHANNON, W. Va. - - Softball dropped its doubleheader at West Virginia Wesleyan College Saturday afternoon as the Cavs fell to the Bobcats 11-6 in the first game of the afternoon before dropping game two, 9-6.
West Virginia Wesleyan scored its first run of the day in the bottom of the second. A two-out walk and stolen base followed by a single to center field plated one but the Bobcats left two on base.
The Cavs responded with a run in the top of the third to even the score at 1-1. Junior Nikki Smith reached first on a Bobcat error with one out. Sophomore Alexis Miles then knocked a two-out single to left to advance Smith before the shortstop scored on an error.
The Bobcats opened up the game in the home half of the third with an eight-run inning to extend their lead to 9-1. A single, double, and fielder's choice led to the Bobcats' first run of the frame with a Cavalier error scoring one more. West Virginia Wesleyan then plated two more on a fly out to left and another error. An RBI single, an error, and a two-run double would send home the final four runs of the inning for the Bobcats.
Sophomore Casey Chambers scored the Cavs next run in the top of the fourth. The third baseman led off the frame with a single to left before advancing on a passed ball. A Bobcat error put Chambers on third with a two-out sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of Smith pushing her across.
The Cavs scored two more in the top of the sixth to dig into the Bobcats lead. Junior Taylor Creasey's two-out double scored Smith and senior Ava Hockey as West Virginia Wesleyan led by five runs.
The Bobcats plated two more in the bottom of the sixth frame while the Cavs tacked on a pair of runs in the top of the seventh as West Virginia Wesleyan took game one 11-6.
Miles and sophomore Katie Russell each recorded two hits in the game while sophomore Kaylee Jones posted her eighth home run of the season in the top of the seventh.
Sophomore Kailyn Spencer (9-8) suffered the loss as she scattered six hits across 2 1/3 innings in the circle.
Wesleyan's Hannah Hudson improved to 11-10 as she allowed nine hits and struck out five in a complete game effort.
UVa-Wise scored its first two runs of game two in the top of the first with a leadoff single by Smith followed by a homer off the bat of Creasey giving the Cavs an early 2-0 lead.
The Bobcats quickly evened the score plating two in the bottom of the frame on a ground out and single to left. Wesleyan scored three more runs an inning later to take a 5-2 lead to end the second frame.
Jones recorded her second homer of the day in the top of the fourth to cut the Bobcats' lead to just two runs. However, Wesleyan scored two more in the bottom of the frame on a two-RBI double to center field to gain a 7-3 advantage to close out the inning.
Each team scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning. A leadoff single off the bat of senior Shannon Bennett followed by a Wesleyan error put the Cavs in position to score as senior Lucindy Lawson's single sent home Bennett. With the bases loaded, a hit by pitch scored Chambers as the Cavs trailed 7-5.
The Bobcats tacked on their final two runs of the day on a two RBI double by Paije Bragg for a 9-5 lead. UVa-Wise pushed across one more on a ground out by Russell to score Jones but would be unable to complete the comeback as West Virginia Wesleyan defeated the Cavs 9-6.
Smith finished with a pair of hits while seven more Cavaliers recorded a hit in the game.
Freshman Sydney Collins fell to 3-4 with the loss, scattering seven hits across two innings.
Wesleyan's Hudson (12-10) earned the win allowing seven hits and striking out four in five innings of work. Sophomore Kelley Bourne earned her first save of the season twirling two innings in the circle.
Karen Bitter and Nick Bitter's team returns to the Sue Morris Complex in Glenville, West Virginia tomorrow as they take on Wheeling Jesuit University with a 12 p.m. game one start.
