WISE – Softball dropped two games to nonconference foe West Virginia State University Thursday at Cavalier Field. The Yellow Jackets topped the Cavaliers 6-3 in the first game of the day before UVA Wise fell 3-1 in game two.

West Virginia State (3-5) opened the first game of the day with back-to-back hits but left two runners on as neither team scored in the first inning.

Both teams got on the board in the third with the Yellow Jackets scoring a run in the top half of the third on an RBI single to left field, sending home Danielle Lebsock after she hit a leadoff double to begin the inning.

UVA Wise (5-10-1, 2-4 SAC) put up its first run of the day on a Sarah Barrett RBI single as the freshman drove in outfielder Jenna McDermott in the home half of the third. The Cavs started the frame with a one-out single up the middle by McDermott before a two-out Alexis Miles single to left put UVA Wise in position to score on the next at bat to knot the game 1-1.

The Yellow Jackets scored two more in the fifth as UVA Wise answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. Another RBI single for Barrett pushed across senior Kaylee Jones with West Virginia State holding a 3-2 edge at the end of the frame.

A shot to left center field off the bat of WVSU's Lindsey Phares put two more runs on the board for the Yellow Jackets in the top of the sixth to extend their lead 5-2. Each team scored a run in the final inning as the Yellow Jackets held on for the 6-3 win.

Miles and Barrett finished with two hits apiece while McDermott and freshmen Kara Long and Riley Hunt each tallied a hit.

Junior Sydney Collins suffered her first loss of the campaign as she allowed five hits across three innings in the circle.

West Virginia State's Kasey Murphy (3-4) scattered seven hits and struck out five in a complete game effort.

The Yellow Jackets recorded a hit in the first two innings before scoring the first run of the second game in the top of the third. WVSU's Emele Clark sent a single down the left field line before stealing second and scoring on the next play to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, McDermott led the half with a single up the middle and then stole second, but nothing would come of it as the Cavs remained scoreless into the fifth.

West Virginia State extended its lead on a sacrifice fly to left field as UVA Wise trailed 3-0 through the sixth inning.

A leadoff homer to center field off the bat of Miles gave the Cavs their only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. The Yellow Jackets managed to work their way out of the inning to take the second game, 3-1.

Sophomore McKenna Falwell (3-4) suffered the loss as she allowed five hits and fanned two in four innings of work.

The Yellow Jackets' Autumn Thompson (2-4) gained the win, scattering four hits and striking out seven in a complete game effort.

Softball returns to the road this weekend for a league doubleheader at Coker University. First pitch of game one is set for 12 p.m. in Hartsville, South Carolina Saturday.