HARROGATE, Tenn. – UVA Wise softball dropped a pair of games to eighth-ranked Lincoln Memorial University Saturday afternoon at Dorothy Neely Field. The Railsplitters picked up an 8-3 game one win before using a five-run sixth inning to come from behind to take game two 7-4.
Lincoln Memorial (14-.1) put the first three runs of the day on the board in the bottom of the first as the Cavs (1-8-1, 0-4 SAC) responded with a run of their own in the top of the second on a bomb to center field off the bat of Alexis Miles.
Miles scored again in the fourth with sophomore pitcher McKenna Falwell's single up the middle sending the senior across as the Cavs cut the deficit to 3-2 midway through the fourth frame.
LMU's Ty-Kella Goins' RBI single tacked on one more run for the Railsplitters in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back homers in the fifth and sixth inning for LMU plated four to push the margin to 8-2 heading into the final inning.
UVA Wise drove home one more in the top of the seventh as catcher Katie Russell sent a two-out single down the left field line to drive home freshman Sarah Barrett. LMU picked up its third out to end the inning and take game one 8-3.
Barrett, Russell, and Miles each finished with two hit. Falwell fell to 1-3 in the loss as she scattered eight hits and struck out three in six innings of work.
LMU's Hayley Tamaro improved to 4-0 in the win as she allowed 10 hits while fanning six in a complete game effort.
UVA Wise took an early 3-0 lead in game two scoring two runs in the first frame before adding one more in the top of the second. With one out and two runners on base, senior Kaylee Jones' RBI double followed by a sacrifice fly put the Cavs ahead of the Railsplitters 2-0 in the top of the first inning. The Cavs scored once more in the third on a passed ball as freshman Megan Wilson crossed home.
LMU cut UVA Wise's lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out RBI double scoring a run for the Railsplitters. Lincoln Memorial plated one more an inning later on an RBI single as the Cavs held onto a 3-2 advantage.
The Railsplitters climbed from behind in the home half of the sixth, scoring five runs on six hits in the inning to go ahead 7-3 into the final frame.
The Cavs put their final run of the day on the board in the top of the seventh with a leadoff blast to right field by senior Casey Cambers, but three straight outs ended the inning as the Railsplitters posted a 7-4 win in game two.
UVA Wise recorded five hits in the loss as senior pitcher Raychel Lapallo (0-4) suffered the loss, allowing nine hits and striking out two across six innings.
The Railsplitter's Emma Frost (5-1) earned the win as she scattered two hits and struck out nine in six innings of work.
The Cavs are back in action tomorrow for another nonconference doubleheader at Lees-McRae College. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Banner Elk, North Carolina.
