WISE – UVA Wise softball split its doubleheader with Catawba College Friday evening on Senior Day. Catawba took game one 10-6 before the Cavaliers rallied for a 3-2 victory in the second game of the day on a solo walk-off homer off the bat of freshman Kara Long.
Catawba (23-9, 10-8 SAC) jumped out to an 8-0 lead on a Lexi Bryant grand slam in the top of the first. Senior Kaylee Jones responded in the home half of the first with a two-run homer to right as she scored freshman Jenna McDermott with UVA Wise (13-16-1, 8-10 SAC) still trailing, 8-2.
Senior Katie Russell's RBI double to left sent home Jones in the bottom of the third to put the Cavs down 8-3 at the end of the frame.
Both teams left runners on in the fourth as neither team scored again until the top of the sixth on a sacrifice hit by Catawba's Riley Tucker to plate Cameron Shaffner. UVA Wise tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth as senior Casey Chambers crossed home plate with Catawba still leading 9-4, into the seventh.
Catawba added one more run in the top of the seventh as UVA Wise attempted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Alexis Miles drew a walk to get on base as Russell followed with a bomb to center field on the next at bat as the Cavs trailed 10-6. Chambers managed to line a base hit to right center, but was left stranded as the Indians held on for the game one win.
The Cavs lined 12 hits in the game as Chambers went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate and tallied one run. Russell went 3-for-3 in the contest as she added one run and three RBI.
Catawba's Brooke Walser (10-4) picked up the win, striking out six in a complete game effort.
Senior Raychel Lapallo fell to 6-6 on the season as she yielded 11 hits and struck out three in five innings of work.
Catawba's Jordan Dean opened game two with a one-out home run to left center, scoring Carlee Brawley. UVA Wise answered in the bottom of the first with a two RBI double to left off the bat of sophomore McKenna Falwell as she plated Russell and Jones to knot the game at 2-2.
UVA Wise managed to load the bases in the bottom of the fourth with just one out, but a strike out and ground out left all three on base to end the inning.
Catawba looked to put another run on the board in the sixth as Brittany Ireland attempted to score on a shot to center field, but senior Alexis Miles was able to rob the home run as she extended her glove over the fence for the out to keep the game tied heading into the seventh.
Catawba went down in order in the top of the seventh before freshman Kara Long's leadoff homer to center field in the bottom of the frame for the walk-off game two win.
Falwell improved to 7-7 with the win as she fanned three and scattered three in a complete game effort.
Catawba's Madison Hunt fell to 5-3 on the campaign as she yielded three hits and struck out six across six innings in the circle.
Up next, UVA Wise softball will step out of conference play for a doubleheader at Bluefield State College Sunday beginning at 2 p.m.
