WISE – The UVA Wise baseball team opened the 2026 season today with a doubleheader split against King. The Tornado took game one 5-4 and the Highland Cavs won the nightcap in 3-2 extra innings.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result Game 1 – King 5, UVA Wise 4
Result Game 2 – UVA Wise 3, King 2
Records: UVA Wise (1-1), King (1-4)
Location: Wise, VA | Burchell Stallard Field
GAME ONE
- King opened the game with a solo home run by Jose Ruiz, taking an early 1-0 lead. The Cavs responded in the bottom of the second inning with
Jaden Ruehling and
Tanner Jones reaching base and scoring on a double by
Carter Babb, leveling the score at 2-2.
- In the fourth inning, the Tornado added another run on a fielder's choice, but the Cavs quickly matched it.
Tanner Jones walked, stole second, and scored on a single from
Morgan Miller, keeping the game tied at 3-3.
- King edged ahead in the fifth with a double by Kale Richardson, bringing in Logan Janney and pushing the score to 4-3. The Cavs answered in the seventh with
Bernard Creque's triple and
Luke Johnson's RBI single, tying the game again at 4-4.
Despite a strong defensive effort from the Highland Cavaliers in the eighth and ninth innings, the Tornado scored in the fifth and maintained their lead for the rest of the game, ultimately securing a narrow 5-4 victory.
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Houston Sarvis pitched 3 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 2 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts.
Bo Trantham also completed 3 innings, conceding 2 earned runs on 4 hits, while issuing 4 walks and striking out 3. In relief,
Andrew Binns-Loveman pitched 2 scoreless innings, allowing 2 hits with 1 walk and 1 strikeout, and recorded a pickoff.
Ryan Whitson closed the game with a perfect inning, striking out 2 of the 4 batters he faced.
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Bernard Creque recorded two hits, including a triple, and added a stolen base.
Luke Johnson contributed with an RBI and added a stolen base, reaching base three times with a hit, a walk, and a hit by pitch.
Tanner Jones scored two runs and stole a base, collecting a hit and a walk in his three plate appearances.
Carter Babb drove in two runs with a double, finishing with one hit in four at-bats.
GAME TWO
- The game opened with a tense first inning. King took advantage of a throwing error and wild pitches, scoring two runs, including an RBI double by Logan Janney. The Cavaliers responded with
Luke Johnson drawing a walk, followed by
Jake Smith's RBI double to center field, narrowing the gap to 2-1 after the first inning.
- The fourth inning saw the Cavs capitalize again.
Dalton Chapman walked and advanced to third on a wild pitch, allowing
Derrick Hall to reach on a fielder's choice that brought Chapman home, tying the game at 2-2. The UVA Wise defense held strong, preventing any runs from the Tornado through the middle innings and leaving the game tied at the end of seven innings.
In the eighth inning,
Jacob Boyle, pinch-hitting for
Andrew Hardy, walked and advanced to second on a groundout. Hall then delivered a crucial RBI double to left field, driving in Boyle and giving the Cavaliers a 3-2 win in extra innings.
Eli Reece pitched for 2 innings and allowed 2 earned runs on one hit, with 4 walks and 3 strikeouts. Reece's performance included 5 wild pitches, contributing to a WHIP of 2.50.
Mason McAlarnis followed with 4 innings of effective relief, conceding no runs and just one hit, while striking out 5 and walking 1, resulting in a WHIP of 0.50.
Ryan Whitson closed the game with 2 innings, giving up one hit and striking out 2, securing the win with no runs allowed and a WHIP of 1.00.
- Hall contributed significantly by hitting a double and driving in two runs while also stealing a base. Smith added a double and an RBI to the team's effort, providing a crucial hit. McAlarnis pitched effectively, allowing just one hit over four innings and striking out five batters.
Morgan Miller showcased speed on the bases by stealing two bases and reaching base with a hit and a walk.
UP NEXT
The Cavs will open up South Atlantic Conference play when they host Emory & Henry next Friday and Saturday.
