WISE — UVA Wise halted a six-game losing streak with a 7-2 win over West Virginia State in game one of Tuesday's non-conference softball doubleheader before the visiting Yellow Jackets held off a late Cavalier rally to win game two 8-7 to earn a series split.
UVA Wise (5-21) saw its starting pitcher Hannah Richardson help herself at the plate in the home first as as she laced a two-run double that allowed Mallory McKnight and McKenna Falwell to come home.
The score would remain unchanged until the third inning when West Virginia State's (9-8) Kassidy Murphy clobbered an opposite field two-run homer to tie the contest.
The Cavs would put the game away with a five-run fourth inning. In the frame, Emma McCauley, Bailey Allison, Brie Frazier and Sarah Barrett along with Kara Long had an RBI in the frame.
From there, Richardson would be nearly untouchable in the circle. The hurler would retire the next eight Yellow Jackets in order before a seventh-inning rally was squashed when a groundout up the middle ended the contest.
Richardson went the distance in earning her first collegiate win as she scattered seven hits, walked two and fanned one.
UVA Wise lined seven hits in the win, with seven different players having a hit each. Murphy led the Yellow Jackets' offense with two hits.
Game two say West Virginia erupt for eight first-inning runs and then have to hold on to secure the win.
Emma Pauley got the scoring started with an RBI single before Clarke Moore cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Avery Contreas, Kerigan Moore and Addi Dillow also had RBIs in the fast start for the guests.
Long got UVA Wise on the board with a two-run double in the third before Falwell singled Long home to make it an 8-3 affair.
The score would remain unchanged until the seventh when Haley Duckett's sacrifice fly plated Long and McCauley doubled in a pair to get the tying run to the plate with the Cavs behind 8-6.
Megan Wilson would get the hit parade going with an RBI single to make it an 8-7 game only to see Hall record the final out and preserve the win.
Long would go 3-for-4 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored in the loss with Frazier added two hits and a run scored for UVA Wise.
The Yellow Jackets saw Dillow, Thompson and Hall each record two hits. Hall picked up the pitching win by going 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out one.
The Cavs jump back in the SAC this weekend when Limestone visits Cavalier Field for a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.
