SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Mady Buchanan smashed three RBIs to help pave the Cavs to a 5-0 triumph over D'Youville in game one, but a seventh-inning Converse rally decided a 5-4 loss in game two of the Converse College Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 4.

GAME 1
After a scoreless two innings from the Cavaliers (1-2, 0-0 SAC) and the Saints (1-2), Brie Frazier woke up the UVA Wise bats in the third with a single to center field. Kara Long added a single of her own to left and Sarah Barrett put down a sacrifice bunt to get runners in scoring position. Mallory McKnight then made some noise with an RBI single to get the Cavs a 1-0 lead before a pop-up from Buchanan gave way for Kara Long to steal home — solidifying a two-run lead before the side was retired.

UVA Wise would then drive a doubles-frenzy in the fourth and fifth innings, grabbing one run in the fourth from a Frazier RBI double smash to left field and another run in the fifth from a Buchanan double to center. By the time Saint's pitcher Lauren Booth could get out of the inning, the Cavaliers had snagged a 4-0 lead.

UVA Wise would force one more run with a three-hit seventh inning, and the Saints would go scoreless.

McKenna Falwell was lights out in the circle, tallying nine strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

GAME 2
Converse (2-1) took the first run of the finale in the bottom of the second inning when Ally Howard swatted a single to right field with two on base. Despite the threat, UVA Wise finished the inning forcing a Valkyrie strikeout, a groundout, and a pop-up.

In the top of the third, Emma McCauley and Frazier contributed a hit each to get the Cavs rolling. Long once again came up big for her squad, hitting a single in the gap to score McCauley and tie the game at one each. Barrett then eyed a walk to load the bases — and a McKnight sacrifice fly gave the Cavs a 2-1 lead before a groundout ended the inning.

Behind Falwell, the Cavaliers held Converse hitless until the bottom of the fourth. It wouldn't be until two walks, a bunt, and a single catapulted the Valkyries to a 4-2 lead — forcing the Cavaliers to respond in the fifth.

McCauley would lead the inning off with a single before a sacrifice bunt from Hayley Duckett would get McCauley in scoring position. McKnight would crack an RBI single to get within one run of Converse in the fifth, but Emily Ingle would grab two consecutive strikeouts to finish the Cavalier rally.

After a shutout half-inning for Converse, Cavalier bats would spark yet again and even the game at four with a Falwell RBI double in the top of the sixth.

Converse found their luck at the right time in the seventh as pinch-hitter Sarah Ballard would poke a game-winning dribbler to shortstop and force a run home to win, 5-4.

Converse and UVA Wise would each end the day with eight hits. Frazier and Long would lead the pack with two hits each for the Cavs while Howard led Converse going three-for-three at the plate.

Up next, UVA Wise begins a nine-game homestead starting with a doubleheader against North Greenville on Saturday, Feb. 11.