WISE – The UVA Wise softball team ended their season with a pair of hard-fought losses to Mars Hill Thursday evening on Bill Gatton Field.
Before the first game the team celebrated Senior Day, and recognized
Bayleigh Allison,
Mataya Ausmus, and
Adyson Gibson for their contributions to the program.
The team entered the day with a slim chance to make the upcoming South Atlantic Conference Tournament, but needed to win both games to have a chance.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Result Game One: Mars Hill 7, UVA Wise 5
Result Game Two: Mars Hill 4, UVA Wise 3 – 8 innings
Records: UVA Wise (25-21, 7-15 SAC); Mars Hill (31-15, 12-10 SAC)
Location: Wise, VA | Bill Gatton Field
GAME ONE – Mars Hill 7, UVA Wise 5
- The Cavaliers collected 12 hits, including four doubles, but were unable to overcome the Lions' early lead in a 7-5 loss. Mars Hill took an early lead in the first inning with two runs, one scoring on a sacrifice fly by Jessica Senn and another unearned run on a fielding error. The Cavaliers responded with
Adyson Gibson scoring after stealing second and advancing on a wild pitch, driven in by
Lindsey Polan's single. The score was 2–1 in favor of Mars Hill after the first inning.
- Mars Hill extended its lead in the third inning with a two-RBI single from Senn, making the score 4–1. In the fifth inning, Mars Hill added two more runs, both unearned, to widen the gap to 6–1. UVA Wise narrowed the margin with
Taylor Clay scoring on a double by
Kaylynn Baker, bringing the score to 6–2.
- In the sixth inning,
Kylee Holt hit a double to drive in two runs, cutting the deficit to 6–4. Mars Hill scored once more in the seventh inning with Sydney Hodges crossing home plate, making it 7–4. The Highland Cavaliers added a final run in the bottom of the seventh when
Kennedy Miller scored on a double by
Taylor Noe. Despite a strong effort, the Cavs fell to the Lions with a final score of 7–5.
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Bayleigh Allison pitched a complete game for UVA Wise, working 7 innings and throwing 108 pitches, with 75 of them being strikes. Despite allowing 10 hits and 4 earned runs, Allison did not walk any batters and struck out one. She faced challenges with two wild pitches and hit one batter, contributing to the seven runs scored by Mars Hill.
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Adyson Gibson stole two bases, showcasing her speed on the field.
Taylor Noe collected three hits, including a double, contributing to the team's offense.
Kennedy Miller scored twice and added two hits, including a double.
GAME TWO – Mars Hill 4, UVA Wise 3 – 8 innings
- The Cavaliers managed eight hits, including two doubles, but Mars Hill's eighth-inning surge sealed the 4-3 victory.
- In the third inning, UVA Wise broke the scoreless tie with a key offensive push.
Taylor Clay singled, followed by a single from
Kaylynn Baker.
Kennedy Miller drove in Clay with a double, and Baker scored on a walk issued to
Savannah Johnson. This surge gave the Cavaliers a 2-0 lead after three innings.
- Mars Hill responded in the fourth inning with two runs. Jessica Senn hit a solo home run, and Brooke Hanson later scored on an RBI single by Camryn Sterling, leveling the game at 2-2 at the end of four innings.
- In a tense eighth inning, the Lions added two runs. Leah Grimes scored on a single by Daci Sarver, and Sterling added another on a sacrifice fly.
- The Cavaliers attempted a comeback in the bottom of the eighth. Miller started on second base and scored on a single by Johnson. However, the effort fell short, with the final score 4-3 in favor of Mars Hill.
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Olivia Shockley delivered a complete game performance, pitching 8 innings for UVA Wise. She allowed 9 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 6 batters and walking 6. Shockley threw a total of 157 pitches, with 100 of them being strikes. Despite her efforts, she recorded the loss, bringing her season record to 8-8.
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Savannah Johnson collected two hits and drove in two runs, contributing significantly to the team's offensive efforts.
Lindsey Polan added two hits, including a double, enhancing the lineup's depth.
Kennedy Miller recorded a hit, a double, and an RBI while also drawing a walk. Shockley pitched a complete game, striking out six batters over eight innings.
GETTING WISE
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Adyson Gibson finishes her career with a .351 batting average, placing her at sixth in program history. Her career .447 on-base percentage ranks third, while she also ranks 13th in runs scored (103), fourth in walks (73), and she is tied for seventh in stolen bases (38) and ninth in triples with nine. Her 31 walks this season are a program record for walks in a season, and her .491 on-base percentage this season ranks her fourth in a single season in program history.
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Mataya Ausmus ends her collegiate career with a .253 batting average and a .338 on-base percentage. She had 52 runs and 79 hits, with 20 doubles, five triples, and four home runs.
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Bayleigh Allison's 60 appearances in the circle are the 13th most in program history. She pitched 195.0 innings over her career (15th all-time), allowing 257 hits (14th), 159 runs (13th), faced 927 batters (13th), and struck out 114 (14th).
- Mars Hill improves to 12-9 in the overall series.
UP NEXT
The team will return for Fall Practice in late August.
