WISE – The Highland Cavaliers closed out the home portion of the regular season with a South Atlantic Conference series split as they defeated the Catawba Indians 7-1 in the first game and fell 5-3 in the second game.
With the end of the second game the Cavaliers had done a feat no other UVA Wise team has ever done and finished their 32nd home game of the season, a testament to one of the changes that the turf surface on the Bill Gatton Softball Field has brought to the program.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result Game One: UVA Wise 7, Catawba 1
Result Game Two: Catawba 5, UVA Wise 3
Records: UVA Wise (20-25, 6-16 SAC); Catawba (20-23, 10-12 SAC)
Location: Wise, VA | Bill Gatton Softball Field
GAME ONE
- UVA Wise had ten hits including three two run homers as they downed Catawba 7-1.
- The game was scoreless with only one runner reaching scoring position until the bottom of the fourth. After
Lindsey Polan was walked,
Mataya Ausmus blasted her second home run of the season over the left field wall, giving the Cavs the 2-0 lead.
Savannah Johnson later reached on a single and
Gracee Greer came in to run for her after she reached second on a walk by
Abagail Mills.
Madison Milne then came up to bat and singled down the right field line, scoring Greer.
- Polan then gave the Cavs two more runs in the fifth as she hit her first two-run home run of the game over the left center fence, bringing in
Mallory McKnight.
- As she did in the fifth, she also did in the sixth as Polan hit another two run homer deep down the left field line and deep into the parking lot, scoring
Adyson Gibson.
- In the top of the seventh, senior
Sophie Kreese entered to pitch one final time at home and only allowed one hit, a home run, as the Cavs held on for the 7-1 victory.
- Three Cavs were 2-3 in the game, led by Polan who also scored thrice and had four RBI. Milne and Johnson were the other ones, with Milne also adding a RBI. Ausmus added in two RBI via her home run.
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Bayleigh Allison picked up her fifth win of the season as she only allowed two hits and no runs over her six innings of work. She also struck out five Catawba batters. Kreese only allowed the one hit in the solo home run and also notched a strikeout.
GAME TWO
- Catawba scored twice in the top of the first on a two RBI single to right center. The Cavs got one run back in the bottom of the inning as
Taylor Clay laced a double to left center and then came home on the next pitch as McKnight also doubled, this time to center field, scoring Clay.
- The Cavs took the lead in the bottom of the third as
Abagail Mills was walked after an eight pitch at bat. She advanced to second on a wild pitch and then went to third on a hit by
Madison Milne.
Adyson Gibson then came up to bat and Milne stole second on the first pitch. On the next pitch Gibson drilled one through the right side, scoring Mills and Milne.
- Catawba scored two runs of their own to take the 4-3 lead in the third and added an insurance run in the seventh. They then sent down the Cavs 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh to take the 5-3 win and split the series.
- Clay had an impressive outing as she went 3-3 with a run. Gibson was 1-2 with two RBI.
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Alivia Nolley took the loss in her final home appearance as she allowed four runs on six hits. Freshman
Olivia Shockley entered in the fifth inning and gave up one run off of two hits while striking out five.
GETTING WISE
- For the series
Taylor Clay led the team as she hit .571, going 4-7 with a double and a run.
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Madison Milne hit .500 (3-6) in her final home game with a RBI, a run, and she was 2-2 in stolen bases.
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Mataya Ausmus was 2-6 (.333) for the day with two RBI and a home run.
- Prior to today the last time the Cavs hit three home runs in a home game (or any game) were against Catawba on April 15, 2023. UVA Wise won that game 8-1 and like today all the home runs scored two runs.
- The team finishes the 2025 home portion of the campaign with an 18-14 record, one shy of the school record of 19 home wins set by the 2017 squad.
UP NEXT
The team closes out the regular season next Saturday with a doubleheader at Mars Hill. First pitch from Ponder Field is set for 1 p.m.
