MARS HILL – The UVA Wise softball team ended the 2025 season on a winning note as they came from behind in the second game for the win and the season season South Atlantic Conference series split with Mars Hill Saturday afternoon.
The win ends the season for the Cavs, who finished with a 21-26 record, which is their best record since their final season in the Mountain East Conference in 2019. They also had the second-most home wins in program history with 18, second only to 2017's 19 wins. It was also the season ender for Mars Hill as well.
The end of game two marked the final game for seniors
Jillian Jones,
Sophie Kreese,
Emma McCauley,
Mallory McKnight,
Abagail Mills,
Madison Milne, and
Alivia Nolley. All seven made an indelible mark on the program during their time in Wise and will be sorely missed by the Cavalier faithful.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result Game One: Mars Hill 9, UVA Wise 1 – 6 innings
Result Game Two: UVA Wise 8, Mars Hill 7
Records: UVA Wise (21-26, 7-17 SAC); Mars Hill (22-22, 12-12 SAC)
Location: Mars Hill, NC | Ponder Field
GAME ONE
-
Lindsey Polan got things going in game one as she hit a RBI single that brought in
Taylor Clay. The Lions would answer back in the bottom of the inning with a two run home run by Farley Park.
- The Lions would expand the lead with two runs in the third, three more off of a home run in the fourth, and two more in the sixth to take the 9-1 lead and the game.
- Polan,
Adyson Gibson, and
Mallory McKnight led the Cavs as each went 1-3 for the game, with Polan also adding in a RBI.
GAME TWO
- Another game, another single by Polan scoring Clay in the top of the first.
- Mars Hill answered back with a five run fourth inning that featured a RBI double, a sacrifice fly, and a pair or RBI singles.
- McKnight would cut the lead two one as she blasted a triple with bases loaded to cut the lead to 5-4. Later in the inning,
Savannah Johnson blasted a two run homer over the center field fence to give the Cavs the 6-5 lead.
- As in the first game, Park hit a home run in the bottom of the fourth that tied the game up at 6-6.
- The tie was short-lived as
Madison Milne scored the final run of her career when she crossed the plate in the fifth inning. Mars Hill would tie it up again in the bottom of the inning once again via a Lion home run.
- After both teams stranded a runner in the sixth inning, the Cavs regained the lead as Clay scored again from second via a double by
Bayleigh Allison down the left field line.
GETTING WISE
- For the series, Clay went .667 (4-6) with four runs and a double.
Madison Milne hit .500 in her final two games as she went 1-2 with two runs, and
Mallory McKnight ended her career hitting 2-6 with a double and three RBI.
- With the split, the series vs. the Lions since UVA Wise joined the NCAA in 2013 is now 11-7 in favor of the Cavs. UVA Wise then held Mars Hill to one base runner as
Olivia Shockley ended the game with the strikeout of Park, sealing the win for the Cavs.
- Clay led the Cavs as she was 4-5 with three runs, while Johnson was 2-5 with a run and two RBI.
-
Alivia Nolley got the start in her final game before ceding the way to freshman
Olivia Shockley in the third inning, with Shockley picking up the win and allowing two runs off of three hits with three strikeouts.
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