BRISTOL, TENN.  — The UVA Wise softball team took their first losses of the season (7-5, 12-4) against King University in a Conference Carolinas/South Atlantic Conference crossover matchup on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

UVA Wise (6-2, 0-0 SAC) took off with a leadoff single up the middle by Jenna McDermott in the first inning. A walk followed by a Kaylee Jones RBI single put the Cavaliers on the board early against the King University Tornado (2-0, 0-0 CC). A fielder's choice ball from Sarah Barrett was able to bring another run home, ending the half-inning with a 2-0 lead. 

The Cavaliers ran into a buzzsaw when King came up to bat. A leadoff walk and three hit-by-pitches from McKenna Falwell in the circle led the way for the Tornado to take advantage, snagging three hits and five runs as their side retired. 

The Cavaliers came back in the top of the second with a Hayley Duckett double to left which sparked a three-run, three-hit inning to tie the game. 

Each team went the next inning scoreless, until the bottom of the third inning. King's Camryn Haag drilled a homer to left field, bringing in two Tornado runs. The Cavaliers would have four more at-bat opportunities, but couldn't get any more action around home plate. King would go on to take the first game by a 7-5 score. 

In the second game, the Cavaliers held their opponent to zero hits until the bottom of the second. A leadoff double to start the inning for the Tornado quickly turned into seven runs, consisting of a Cavalier error and two ropes from King's Lauren Lawson. Sydney Collins and the Cavaliers were able to escape the inning with a groundout, a strikeout, and a flyout. 

With an unresponsive Cavalier at-bat in the top of the third, King brought out their bats again for the bottom of the inning. With Alivia Nolley in for Collins the circle, she was able to force a King groundout and two flyouts but not without King's Delaney Porter to come around to home plate. 

In the top of the fourth, the Cavaliers felt a hitting spark led by a Mallory McKnight single to left. A double from Barrett and a bad throw from the Tornado allowed UVA Wise to get on the board with a run. A walk from Carly Turner in the circle gave leeway for McDermott to smack a single to center, scoring Barrett and bringing Cavalier Mady Buchanan to second. 

A wild pitch and a Long single brought in two more runs as the Cavaliers cut the Tornado lead 8-4.

The Tornado wouldn't go down without a fight, as they produced a quick five hits and snagged another four runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Cavaliers tried to recover after they got out of the inning, but a quick three-up, three-down inning from King would seal their win by a score of 12-4.

Long ended the day with five hits combined to lead the Cavaliers, going 5-5. McDermott followed with three hits, consisting of a triple and two singles. The Cavs snagged a total of five hits in the first game and six hits in the second game.

King had four players with three-hit days and had a combined 21 hits on the outing.

The Cavaliers will be back home on Cavalier Field on Feb. 25 and 26 as they take on Lees-McRae College with 1/3 PM start times.