WISE — UVA Wise broke their eight-game losing streak in 5-4 and 8-7 fashion over the Newberry Wolves today at Cavalier Field, marking the Cavaliers' first conference wins of the season.
GAME ONE
Newberry (14-11) wasted no time getting on the board in their first at-bat, as third-hole hitter Molly Mattas hit a solo homer to get the Wolves howling. Yet this didn't catch McKenna Falwell sleeping in the circle as the ace produced three strikeouts to retire the side.
The Cavaliers (4-14) tore down the Newberry lead with a two-hit inning sparked by a Sarah Barrett single. Falwell added another hit to the mix while Hannah Richardson blipped a ball to the catcher to bring a run home.
Newberry had no answers until the top of the third inning as a Cavalier error would bring in a Wolves' runner home and snag a 2-1 lead. The Wolves would find another jump from another home run from Molly Mattas — this time, scoring two.
Once the Cavaliers got their bats back, Kara Long ripped into a left-field double. Barrett then stepped up and hit a homer to bring in two runs before Richardson found some swinging room and brought in a pair to get the Cavalier lead, 5-4.
Falwell only allowed four hits in the 5-4 win, totaling 10 strikeouts and silencing the Wolves in a three-up, three-down final half-inning.
GAME TWO
Catapulting off their energy in game one, Emma McCauley ripped into her first home run of her career in grand slam fashion. McCauley brought in four runs in the top of the first to hold an early 4-0 lead.
Abagail Mills also took one for a ride — earning her first career home run in the first, pushing her Cavaliers to a 6-0 lead.
Newberry made strides, but had only put one run on the board in the second.
Bayleigh Allison would also join the first-home run club in the bottom for the fourth, putting UVA Wise to a solid 8-1 lead.
In the sixth, Newberry offense threatened after the Cavaliers committed three errors. The Wolves tallied four hits and six runs to get within a singular run of UVA Wise in the final inning.
After a quick three-out inning from the Cavaliers, Falwell came into the circle to attempt the save — and that she did. Falwell produced a groundout and a strikeout before Hannah Hill doubled to left. With a runner in scoring position, Falwell came up big and struck out Emily Hughes to walk away with the 8-7 triumph.
Barrett finished the day with two hit and two RBI while Richardson snagged a career-high three RBI.
Falwell finished the day in the circle with 12 total strikeouts.
Mallory McKnight - who played time at first base and behind the plate - put up a career-high 13 putouts in game two.
Up next, UVA Wise heads to Coker on March 11 for a twin bill against the Cobras.
