BRISTOL, Tenn. - - Local rivals King and UVA Wise split a non-conference baseball doubleheader at the King Baseball Field Tuesday. The host Tornado held off a Cavalier rally to win 7-5 in the opener before six UVA Wise pitchers combined on a one-hitter as the guests claimed game two 5-3.
GAME ONE
SCORELESS EARLY
UVA Wise starter Brock Duff and King starter Michael Cordova each hung a pair of zeros to start the game. Duff did not allow a hit over two innings of work as the only runner to reach base was Cody Hutcherson who worked a two-out walk in the home second.
Cordova had to pitch out of a jam in the first. Bret Roberts walked to lead off the game before Clay Taylor singled and both men moved up 90 feet on a passed ball. From there, Cordova would strike out the next three hitters to keep the Cavs off the scoreboard.
KING SCORES FIRST
With Duff out of the game, the Tornado got on the scoreboard in the third. Three straight hits from Zachary Thomas, Wes Bonney and Davis Hall plated a pair of runs.
CAVS GET ON THE BOARD
DJ Dickson singled to lead off the fifth inning and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Roberts to make it a 2-1 game.
FOUR IN THE HOME FIFTH
King would push the lead to five at 6-1 with a four-run fifth frame. In the inning, Hall lined a two-run double, Thomas had a run-producing hit and Junior Renwick knocked in Hall with an RBI single.
INSURANCE RUN
The Tornado picked up an insurance run in the sixth when Bonney lined a two-out RBI single up the middle to make the score 7-1.
LAST CHANCE
UVA Wise came to bat in the seventh down six with just three outs to work with. The Cavs put up a comeback bid as Colby Welborn, Kyle Hoeth and Roberts walked to load the bases. An RBI single by Clay Taylor made it 7-2 before two runs came home on an error to make it a three-run game. With two outs in the inning, Hunter Meador would get the go-ahead run to the plate with an RBI single but, Domenic Rowlands would get the last out to record the save and seal the victory.
BOX SCORE NUGGETS
UVA Wise hitters worked seven walks in the game, but left nine men on base. Taylor, Cole Harness, Meador and Dickson had a hit each in the loss. Hall finished with three RBI in the win.
The loss snapped what was a four-game winning streak for the Cavs.
GAME TWO
TRADING RUNS
Roberts gave UVA Wise a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when he singled home Evan Stanley. A half inning later, King tied the game when Caleb Helms walked with the bases loaded. The inning would prove to be costly for the Tornado as the hosts would score the single unearned run in the frame thanks to Jacob Stuart working out of a bases loaded jam.
A SCORING THIRD
A two-run double from Dickson would plate Tyler Campbell and Harness to put the Cavs up 3-1. In the home half of the inning, Derrick Martin would scamper home on a wild pitch to send the game to the fourth with UVA Wise leading 3-2.
KING TIES IT
The Tornado tied the game in the fifth inning with a second unearned run when Bonney scored on a wild pitch.
UVA WISE TAKES LEAD BACK
The tie was short lived as Roberts singled home D'Sean Prinkleton before later scoring on a run-scoring hit from Campbell in the top of the sixth.
ANDERSON NAILS IN RELIEF
Hunter Anderson would then be summoned out of the bullpen and the sophomore would not allow a base runner as he picked up his second save of the year.
BOX SCORE NOTES
Garrett Stiltner, Stuart, David Kelliher, Hunter Tensen, Nash Bingham and Anderson combined to throw a one-hitter. Bingham was credited with the mound win (2-1) as he allowed an unearned run over an inning of work. Combined, UVA Wise hurlers fanned four and did not allow an extra-base hit.
Roberts finished the game 3-for-5 to raise his batting average to .397 on the season. Harness, Campbell and Dickson added two hits each.
UP NEXT
UVA Wise returns to South Atlantic Conference play this weekend when the team travels to face defending national champion Wingate for a three-game set. Game one against the No. 2 Bulldogs is slated for 6 p.m. Friday.
