WISE – The Highland Cavalier baseball team (3-2, 0-0 SAC) took down King (0-4, 0-0 Conference Carolinas) Tuesday behind an eight-run seventh inning in a 16-8 victory.

The two teams traded six lead changes back and forth in the first five innings of the game before UVA Wise broke open the game after the seventh inning stretch. 

Senior first baseman Andrew Bryant got the scoring started for the Tornado with a solo home run in the first inning. 

UVA Wise responded in the bottom half thanks to a two-run double from senior first baseman Cole Harness. 

Now through five early games this season, Harness has racked up five hits. Four are home runs and the other a double. He's already totaled 10 RBIs and 18 total bases in just five games. He's also walked five times (twice intentionally) and been hit by a pitch once, totaling a 1.724 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). 

King scratched across three runs in the second inning to reclaim the lead, most notably after a two-run double from junior center fielder Conner Hyatt.

Another Tornado run in the third made it a 5-2 King advantage.

Then UVA Wise put up four runs in the bottom of the third inning. 

Junior shortstop Nick Badgett, facing two outs and a  2-2 count, ripped a double down the first base line, scoring two runs and giving the Cavs a 6-5 lead. 

King would get two more runs in the fourth inning after another RBI knock from Hyatt.

Hyatt came around to score later on a ground out by Bryant. After Hyatt scored, King would only get two more baserunners the entire game.

In the fifth, Badgett doubled again with two outs. He plated sophomore third baseman Ethan Willis and redshirt sophomore catcher Jacob Boyle to once again put UVA Wise ahead 8-7. 

The game was tied by Bryant in the top of the seventh after he launched his second solo home run of the day. 

In the bottom half of the inning, Willis belted a go-ahead, solo home run to the opposite field to give the Cavs a 9-8 lead. It was the first home run of Willis' career and it came in his first career game in a Cavalier uniform.

The Paul D. Camp Community College transfer did not see any action in the opening series against Shepherd, but was written in by head coach Brandon Costa as the starting third baseman on Tuesday. 

Willis responded by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a walk and scoring three runs. He made a number of highlight plays at the hot corner on defense as well.

After Willis' long bomb, the flood gates opened for the Cavs.

Boyle singled to start a two-out rally the likes of which many may never see again. 

After Boyle, Badgett was hit by a pitch. Then junior right fielder DJ Dickson popped up on the infield but reached base after the ball was dropped. With the bases loaded, Senior left fielder Justin Reed then smoked a bases-clearing triple to make it 12-8. 

Five of the next six Cavalier batters to step to the plate would work a walk, three of which came with the bases loaded to score runs. 

In total, UVA Wise sent 14 batters to the plate in the seventh inning. All nine Cavalier hitters reached base in some capacity during the inning, as the Cavs plated eight runs to break open the game to its would-be final score, 16-8. 

The Cavs have now taken three of their first five games on the season, all coming at home on freshly renovated turf at Stallard Field. 

Now UVA Wise gets ready for its first road test of the season with a road trip to Montevallo, Ala. to take on the University of Montevallo Falcons. 

Due to inclement weather in the area, the original schedule has been changed and the Cavs and Falcons will square off for a Friday double header with games scheduled for 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.