WISE – Day two of the season-opening double header saw UVA Wise (2-2, 0-0 SAC) once again split the pair of seven-inning games against Shepherd (2-2, 0-0 PSAC). 

Game 1: Rams defeat Cavs, 10-6

Shepherd had to put up a comeback effort to take down UVA Wise in Sunday's opening game of the double header. 

The Cavs got out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a leadoff double from junior shortstop Nick Badgett. 

Badgett was plated after three consecutive walks to the Cavs which was capped off when junior center fielder Matt Frye worked a bases loaded walk to get the scoring started for UVA Wise.

Shepherd answered in the top of the second inning with a two-run double from redshirt junior left fielder Trey Sine. 

The Cavalier firepower broke open the game in the bottom half of the second. The Rams' starting pitcher, grad student Tanner Dixon, cruised through two outs on just five pitches to start the inning. 

Dixon was one strike away from getting out of the inning until junior right fielder DJ Dickson knocked an infield single deep into the hole at second base in a 3-2 count. 

One pitch later, senior left fielder Justin Reed was hit by the pitch, putting a pair of baserunners on the path as senior Cole Harness strode to the plate. 

On the first pitch, Harness unloaded a towering, no doubt shot to right field. The three-run shot gave the Cavs a 6-2 lead.

However, the Shepherd offense remained consistent throughout the game. The Rams put up runs in five of the seven innings played.

After the Cavs took the lead, Shepherd came back with runs in the third and fourth innings to make it 6-4 before exploding for a decisive five-run fifth inning. 

In the fifth, Shepherd sent 10 batters to the plate and it was redshirt junior Wyatt Miles headlining the damage with a two-run home run, his second of the game and third of the series. 

Shepherd tacked on another run in the seventh to seal the 10-4 victory.

Game 2: Cavs defeat Rams, 8-7

In the finale of the four-game series, Shepherd got on the board first with a pair of runs in the opening innings. 

Trailing 2-0 in the third, Reed led off the inning by reaching first on an error. Then Harness stepped up to the plate and released a towering home run to make it a 4-3 game. 

The long ball to right field was Harness' fourth of the season in just four games. Harness entered the 2024 season with 29 career home runs, second all-time in UVA Wise history and just 13 bombs shy of the all-time Cavalier record of 42, set by Brad Robbins in 2010. Harness now has 33 career home runs. 

He finished a dominant weekend going 4-for-11 (.364) at the plate with four home runs, eight RBIs, six runs scored and 16 total bases. Of Harness' 15 plate appearances, eight ended in either a home run or a walk. He only struck out twice.

Harness' two-run shot in the third was complemented by the first career home run from sophomore third baseman Morgan Miller just two batters later. 

The righty Miller boasted his opposite-field power by ripping a ball over the right field wall near the foul pole to tie the game, 4-4.

In the fourth inning, UVA Wise added three more runs to grow its lead 7-4. Junior catcher Evan Stanely doubled while Badgett walked and Dickson singled to load the bases. 

With the bases juiced, Reed was hit by a pitch, Harness walked and Frye grounded out to bring home the three runs.

Shepherd would get an unearned run in the fifth to make it 7-5 in favor of the Cavs. 

Then in the top of the sixth inning, graduate third baseman Connor Dewees tied the game with a two run home run. 

The bottom of the sixth saw UVA Wise score the go-ahead and winning run behind a leadoff solo shot from Reed on a 1-0 count. 

Reed had a big weekend at the dish, going 5-for-12 (.417) with two home runs, five RBIs and seven runs scored. His .563 on-base percentage was the highest of any Cavalier hitter over the weekend (min. 2 PA/G).

In the top of the seventh, head coach Brandon Costa went to senior pitcher Hunter Anderson out of the bullpen. 

Anderson closed the second game on Saturday with a six-out save that included two strikeouts and Costa trusted him to get the save again Sunday.

Anderson got two quick outs from the No. 8 and 9 hitters in the Shepherd lineup before walking the leadoff hitter, senior outfielder Corey Jamison. 

Redshirt junior Sam Daggers dug into the right-handed batter's box representing the go-ahead run for Shepherd. Daggers was dangerous all weekend for the Rams. Before his final at bat, he had gone 5-for-15 (.333) on the weekend with a pair of RBIs and had come up clutch numerous times for the Rams. 

Anderson was able to get ahead in the count and force Daggers to hit a ground ball back to the mound. The ball deflected off Anderson's leg and towards the first base line. Harness charged the ball, picked it up and tagged out a diving Daggers to end the game.

Anderson earned his second save of the season and the Cavs moved to 2-2 with the series split. 

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UVA Wise now gets ready for a lone mid-week contest with King University on Tuesday, Feb. 6. First pitch from Stallard Field is scheduled for 3 p.m. against the Tornado.