ROCK HILL, SC – UVA Wise relief pitcher Ryan Whitson has been named the WePlayed Sports South Atlantic Conference Baseball Pitcher of the Week, conference officials announced today.

The graduate from Alcoa, Tennessee, led the Cavs to the 8-6 SAC win over Anderson Friday evening in a very unique fashion.

He entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning in a save situation with a 5-4 lead, but the Trojans tied the game on a two-out double that sent the game to extra innings. Whitson went the rest of the way as the game went for 16 innings before the Cavs won 8-6, tying for the third longest SAC game in history and it was the longest-ever between two SAC teams.

For the game Whitson pitched eight innings in relief, throwing 130 pitches while giving up two runs from four hits and striking out seven batters.

He becomes the first Highland Cavalier named SAC Pitcher of the Week since Garrett Stiltner earned the honor in mid-April of 2022.

The team will close out the 2026 season this weekend when they host Carson-Newman for a three-game SAC series. First pitch in game one is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday evening on Burchell Stallard Field, but the games may be moved because of weather forecasted for the weekend.