NEWBERRY, S.C. — a change in momentum for the UVA Wise Cavaliers turned an 11-0 loss in the first game of the doubleheader to a 6-4 extra-innings win in Game 2 against the Newberry Wolves on Tuesday, March 15.
GAME BY GAME
Newberry (24-8, 5-3 SAC) was unstoppable from the get-go in Game 1 as the Wolves swiped the Cavaliers (11-7, 3-5 SAC) off the bases and only allowed a hit in the top of the first. The Wolves attacked early, dropping four hits and scoring five in the bottom of the first inning.
The Wolves in the second inning added on to their rally, as they doubled their lead to 10 runs after six hits and an error from the Cavalier side. The Cavaliers eventually retired the Wolves after a groundout and a flyout forced by McKenna Falwell in the circle and a late strikeout pitched by Alivia Nolley.
The Cavaliers would only muster up one more hit in the game and allow a late Newberry single RBI in the fourth to put their lead up 11-0. Newberry pitcher Kasey Widmyer would grab four strikeouts and only allow two Cavalier hits in the win.
Kaylee Jones and Alexis Miles grabbed the only hits in Game 1, as Jones singled to center in the first inning and Miles singled to left in the second inning.
In Game 2, UVA Wise and Newberry both struggled to get anybody on the board until a Newberry Sarah Brogdon homer put the Wolves up 1-0. Eventually a groundout double-play would get the Cavs out of the danger zone, leaving two Wolves on base.
UVA Wise would have no response until the fifth inning when Mallory McKnight would hit the only ball in the half-inning — a solo dinger to even the playing field.
When Newberry came back up to the plate, Brogdon would once again lead the offense for Newberry as a single RBI would put the Wolves up a run before the Cavs would send them to the dugout.
The Cavaliers kept on fighting back, as Jenna McDermott led off the sixth inning with a double to right field. Sarah Barrett would also reach base as two Newberry errors would allow McDermott to score.
Sydney Collins in the circle for the Cavs would hold off Newberry scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving the chance for UVA Wise to take a lead in the top of the seventh.
Mady Buchanan executed the ideal plan — roping a solo home run to center field to put the Cavaliers up a run.
As Newberry came to bat, Tori Rose hit a leadoff single to get the Wolves on base. Two walks for the next two Newberry batters would load the bases with no outs, putting the Cavs in a bind. A sacrifice fly from Brodgon would follow, bringing in Rose to tie the game. The Cavaliers would escape further damage as Collins would force a lineout and a strikeout.
Going into extra innings, McDermott got the Cavaliers bats revved and ready as she singled and moved the international tiebreaker runner to third.
Barrett wasted no time in limbo with pitcher Alexandrea Sullivan as she popped a game-changing home run to center field to score three, giving the Cavs a three-run edge.
Although a sacrificial groundout to shortstop would score a run for the Wolves, the Cavaliers would keep Newberry from reaching home plate further and take a needed 6-4 win.
McDermott led with two hits in game two, with Buchanan, McKnight, and Barrett going yard.
Collins would snag the win, putting her record at 5-3 in the circle.
UP NEXT
The Cavs will head back home to face SAC opponent Coker in a doubleheader series in Wise, Va. on March 19. First pitch is slated for 1:00 PM, followed by game 2 at 3 PM.
