ANDERSON, SC – After a marathon 16 inning game one Friday evening in which UVA Wise outlasted Anderson 8-6, the Trojans needed extra innings on Saturday to eke out a 6-5 win in game two in ten innings before taking the series with a 15-0 win in game three.
The first game was the longest in South Atlantic Conference history between two conference opponents. There are two longer games, but both are a SAC team against a non-conference opponent.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result Game One –UVA Wise 8, Anderson 6 – 16 innings
Result Game Two – Anderson 6, UVA Wise 5 – 10 innings
Result Game Three – Anderson 15, UVA Wise 0
Records: UVA Wise (11-33, 6-21 SAC); Anderson (22-23, 10-20 SAC)
Location: Anderson, SC | Anderson Memorial Stadium
GAME ONE – UVA Wise 8, Anderson 6 – 16 innings
- UVA Wise encountered Anderson in a dramatic contest that unfolded over 16 innings. The early innings were quiet, with neither team scoring until Anderson broke through in the fifth. Riley Matthews launched a solo home run, and Braeden Harrison doubled to bring home Dom Bello, giving the Trojans a 2–0 lead through five innings.
- In the sixth, Myles Denton scored on a wild pitch, and Gray Wells's sacrifice fly brought another run home, extending Anderson's lead to 4–0 by the end of the inning.
- The Cavaliers mounted a significant comeback in the ninth inning.
Carter Babb's single through the right side drove in two runs, followed by
Joshua Morgan's RBI single.
Dane Frellick then delivered a two-RBI single through the left side, tying the game at 5–5 in the top of the ninth. Anderson managed one more run in their half of the ninth when Braeden Harrison doubled, scoring Riley Matthews, but the contest remained tied at 5–5 after nine innings.
- The score remained unchanged through the next six innings, with both teams' defenses holding firm. Finally, in the 16th inning, UVA Wise took control.
Jacob Boyle's double down the left field line brought in two runs, and
Dane Frellick's sacrifice fly added another, putting the Cavs ahead 8–5. Although Anderson scored a run on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Mauro, the Highland Cavaliers secured an 8–6 victory.
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Eli Reece pitched 5 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 4 hits, with 5 walks and 2 strikeouts, throwing 85 pitches with 46 strikes.
Caden Harris contributed a brief relief appearance of 1/3 inning, issuing 2 walks and 1 earned run.
Sawyer Patrick provided 2 2/3 innings of relief, striking out 3 while throwing 30 pitches with 22 strikes.
Ryan Whitson closed with a standout 8-inning performance, surrendering 2 earned runs on 4 hits, walking 3, and striking out 7, while delivering 87 strikes out of 130 pitches.
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Carter Babb contributed to the game with two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs.
Tanner Jones crossed the plate twice, adding one hit to his performance.
Jacob Boyle collected two RBIs and drew a walk during the match. Whitson secured the win by pitching eight innings, striking out seven batters while allowing two earned runs.
GAME TWO – Anderson 6, UVA Wise 5 – 10 innings
- UVA Wise opened the scoring in the first inning as
Jaden Ruehling singled down the left field line and later scored on a single by
Joshua Morgan, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
- In the second inning, the Cavaliers extended their lead.
Dane Frellick's single and a pair of errors paved the way for three runs.
Jaden Ruehling delivered a two-RBI double, pushing the lead to 4-1.
- The seventh inning saw another addition to the Cavs' tally when Ruehling doubled and later scored on a groundout by
Carter Babb. This increased the lead to 5-3.
- However, the Trojans rallied in the ninth inning. Myles Denton's triple brought home a run, followed by an RBI single from Gray Wells, tying the game at 5-5.
- In the tenth inning, Anderson sealed the comeback. Myles Denton singled to center field, driving in the winning run and concluding the game with a final score of 6-5 in favor of the Trojans.
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Gabe Gowder pitched 5 innings, allowing 7 hits and 3 runs, with 2 earned runs while striking out 3 and walking 4.
Mason McAlarnis relieved and contributed 2 innings, giving up 1 hit with 1 walk and 1 strikeout.
Hunter Garrett added 1 inning of relief, recording 1 strikeout without allowing any hits.
Sawyer Patrick finished the outing with 1 2/3 innings, surrendering 3 earned runs on 3 hits and 3 walks, recording his second loss of the season.
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Jaden Ruehling contributed significantly with two runs, three hits, and two RBIs, showcasing his impact at the plate.
Morgan Miller added three hits and scored a run, further bolstering the offense.
Gabe Gowder pitched five innings, allowing three runs and striking out three batters.
Mason McAlarnis provided two innings of relief, yielding just one hit and recording a strikeout.
GAME THREE – Anderson 15, UVA Wise 0
- UVA Wise fell to Anderson with a final score of 15–0 to close out the series. The Trojans' offensive surge included three home runs, contributing to their victory.
- In the bottom of the first inning, Braeden Harrison homered to left field, putting Anderson ahead. Levi Medford's double, followed by Gray Wells' RBI double, extended the lead to 2–0.
- Anderson expanded its lead significantly in the second inning. Bryce Helms hit a three-run home run, and subsequent walks and a hit-by-pitch added four more runs, culminating in a 7-run inning. After two innings, the Trojans led 9–0.
- In the third inning, Levi Medford's two-RBI single further increased Anderson's advantage. By the end of three innings, Anderson was ahead 11–0.
- The fourth inning saw Anderson adding three more runs, highlighted by Medford's three-run homer. The Trojans' lead grew to 14–0 through four innings.
- Anderson added a final run in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly by Ryan Iannuzzo, solidifying their lead at 15–0, and they went on for the win.
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Logan Delph started the game for the Cavaliers, pitching 1 inning and allowing 6 earned runs on 4 hits, including 2 home runs, with 2 walks and a strikeout.
Caden Harris entered in relief but struggled with control, issuing 2 walks and hitting a batter without recording an out, allowing 3 runs.
Ean Marria managed to hold the line with 1 scoreless inning, despite issuing a walk and hitting a batter. Jack Wuerdeman and
Jake DeNeef each pitched 1 inning, with DeNeef striking out 2 batters, though both allowed multiple runs.
Andrew Binns-Loveman and
Julius Sellars each pitched an inning, with Binns-Loveman giving up 1 run on 2 walks while Sellars held Anderson scoreless, surrendering just 1 hit.
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Luke Johnson recorded one hit in the team's recent performance, contributing to the offense from the second spot in the lineup.
Tanner Jones demonstrated patience at the plate, drawing two walks during his appearance.
Harrison Bucovetsky added a hit in his role as a pinch hitter, showcasing depth in the batting order.
Dalton Chapman also collected a hit, providing consistency from his position in center field.
UP NEXT
The Cavs will close out the regular season next weekend when they host Carson-Newman in a SAC series on Burchell Stallard Field. First pitch in Friday's series opener is set for 6:00 p.m.
