WISE, VA — a seventh inning RBI single from sophomore Madison Milne aided the Cavaliers in a 2-1 Game 1 win over the nationally-ranked Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters on Friday at Cavalier Field. Although Lincoln Memorial were able to seal the deal in the second game, the Cavalier W marks the first win over a top-15 ranked team for the program since 2017 (No. 13 WV Wesleyan College, 6-4).
 
GAME BY GAME
In Game 1, Sarah Barrett led the UVA Wise Cavaliers' (10-6, 2-4 SAC) bats with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cavs a 1-0 lead.
 
McKenna Falwell led a strong campaign from the circle, as she and the Cavalier squad held the Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters (18-6, 1-1 SAC) scoreless until the top of the fifth inning — when two Cavalier errors allowed Railsplitter Maddie Haskins to run home to the tie the score at 1-1. Two groundouts and a routine play to first allowed the Cavaliers to escape but not without a LMU run to put them into gear.
 
The next inning and a half went without a flicker for both teams, as LMU's Emma Frost knocked down three Cavs in the bottom of the fifth and Falwell only allowed one hit from Railsplitter offense in the top of the sixth.
 
It was the bottom of the seventh when the Cavaliers knew they had to ignite a fire — and so they did, starting with a two-out double from Alexis Miles to centerfield. Megan Wilson came behind her with a knock to shortstop, advancing the winning run on third. Immediately after, Madison Milne came up to bat and was able to rope a two-strike RBI to the right side to score the winning Cavalier run.
 
 
Falwell only allowed three hits in Game 1, while the Cavaliers powered through five hits to bring them to the win.
 
In Game 2, the Cavaliers grabbed two runs in the bottom of the first from a Kara Long RBI single to left field. Falwell added to the effort, as she hit a double up the middle to bring in another UVA Wise run.
 
The Cavaliers held their 2-0 lead until the top of the fourth inning when an Emma Webb single for LMU brought the Railsplitters around home to cut the lead in half. A groundout, a fly out, and a momentum-building strikeout from Falwell left two Railsplitters on base as the teams headed to the bottom of the inning.
 
Cavalier momentum soon faded, as LMU pitcher Hayley Tamar and the Railsplitters forced a foul out and a double play to swipe the Cavs off the bases.
 
LMU took advantage of an error in the top of the fifth from the Cavaliers to score the tying run, putting each squad at 2-2 before UVA Wise shut LMU down with a groundout, a strikeout, and a popup.
 
Although LMU pieced together a three-hit inning in the top of the sixth and scored two, a homer from Miles put the Cavaliers within one in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Cavaliers the push they needed.
 
The top of the seventh inning proved to be substantial for the Railsplitters, as they led with a single and profited off a Cavalier error to get two on base. With a Webb single, Lincoln Memorial was able to bring two home to put the score at 6-3 before the Cavs retired the side.
 
In the last chance for the Cavaliers, a walk from Mallory McKnight and a single from Mady Buchanan got the Cavaliers in motion. The Railsplitters them secured two back-to-back outs, but not without runners on first and third. With two outs, runner Barrett got caught stealing second to end the game with a 6-3 LMU victory.
 
UP NEXT
Next, the Cavaliers play at Newberry College on March 16 with 1:00 and 3:00 p.m start times.