GAFFNEY, S.C. — a two-hit, five RBI second game performance from Mallory McKnight aided the Cavaliers in their 0-10, 9-5 split against the Limestone Saints on Tuesday, March 29, putting the Cavaliers at a.500 South Atlantic Conference record.

GAME BY GAME:

In Game 1, a strong performance from Haley White of the Limestone Saints (24-12, 7-9 SAC) in the circle kept the UVA Wise Cavaliers (15-11, 7-7 SAC) from reaching home plate as she struck out nine and only allowed three Cavalier hits. 

Limestone began their scoring in the bottom of the first after Madison Chappell brought in a Saint after a single up the left-field side. 

The Saints snagged another scoring opportunity when a tough bunt from Ashley Parnell allowed two Limestone runs to score, making it a 3-0 game. Parnell then made it around home after a wild pitch and a single from Katie Wilbur made it a 4-0 Limestone lead going into the third inning. 

UVA Wise wouldn't be able to get any runners around the bases for the rest of the contest, leaving six Cavaliers stranded. 

Rachel Bristol of the Saints changed the game as she hit a homer over the centerfield fence, scoring two. Limestone bats intensified as Wilbur snagged a three-run double in the same inning to put the score at 9-0. Bain then brought Wilbur home, securing a 10-0 win that the Cavaliers couldn't respond to.

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In Game 2, Limestone once again hit the scoreboard first with two hits and two runs in the bottom of the first inning scored by Chappell and Bristol. When the Cavs came up to bat, a touch of the bat by Mady Buchanan brought in Kara Long to cut the Limestone lead in half. The Cavs looked like they gained a tinge of momentum, but were halted with a strikeout and a popout. 

With Syndey Collins in the circle, the Cavaliers put up a three-up, three-down inning on the Saints to get another opportunity to get in more runs. Sarah Barrett led off the inning with a freebie base, and Kaylee Jones doubled her into third base. McKnight took the challenge and hit a sacrifice fly to score Barrett, tying the ball game at 2-2 before Limestone silenced the Cavalier bats.

For the next two innings, both teams would be held scoreless due to shutout pitching from Collins and White. 

Gameplay got interesting in the bottom of the fifth when a Cavalier error allowed Parnell to score after she reached base on a single. Bain then singled and scored another Saints run, putting their squad up by two. A Chappell single scored another run before the Cavaliers could escape further damage.

The Saints felt like they had put the game away with a three-run lead going into the top of the sixth. But McKnight had other plans — as she hit a three-run double to left, tying the game up once again at 5-5.

The tie game would remain after seven innings and would force the game to extras. McKnight once again would hit a single to bring a run home and give the Cavs a one-run edge. Alexis Miles then gave the Cavaliers a four-run edge as she drilled a dinger to left-center to put UVA Wise at a 9-5 lead. The lead would prevail and give the Cavaliers a second game win. 

McKnight had three hits and five RBI on the day, while Miles had four hits and three RBI against the Saints. 

Collins snagged the win in the circle in Game 2, putting her record at 7-5.

UP NEXT

Next, the Cavaliers will be back at Cavalier Field to face the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears in a two-game series starting at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 2.