WISE, Va. – The University of Virginia's College at Wise Softball Team (13-21, 3-9 SAC) grabbed a pair of South Atlantic Conference victories over visiting Emory & Henry College (13-14, 4-8 SAC) Thursday afternoon. The Cavaliers took the doubleheader by scores of 11-6 and 9-1 as they picked up the first wins over the Wasps since both programs became member of NCAA Division II.
The Basics
GAME ONE – UVA Wise 11, Emory & Henry 6
GAME TWO – UVA Wise 9, Emory & Henry 1 (five innings)
LOCATION – Wise, Virginia
VENUE – Cavalier Field
RECORDS – Emory & Henry (13-14, 4-8 SAC); Newberry (13-21, 3-9 SAC)
Game One – UVA Wise 11, Emory & Henry 6
E&H got out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first as senior catcher Morgan Silvis (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) drove in junior centerfielder Mackenzie Williams (St. Austine, Fla.) with a sacrifice fly and junior right fielder Danielle King (Spencer, Va.) scored on a wild pitch.
The Wasps pushed their lead to 5-0 midway through the third when junior first baseman Lydia Taylor (Salem, Va.) smoked a three-run shot down the right field line.
Wise responded with six runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run single up the middle by Kara Long and a double to center by Savannah Johnson. The Cavaliers pushed their lead to 8-5 through four as Long hit a sacrifice fly and Sarah Barrett notched a RBI double.
In the fifth, E&H closed the gap to 8-6 as Silvis drove in King with a base knock to left. UVA Wise pushed the margin to four with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame and added an insurance run in the sixth for the final 11-6 margin.
Jillian Jones earned the win for the Cavaliers in relief, allowing one run on seven hits with three strikeouts in four innings. Wasp sophomore Kylie Cundiff (Roanoke, Va.) suffered the loss, permitting seven runs on nine hits and three walks in five innings of work across two spells in the circle.
Game Two – UVA Wise 9, Emory & Henry 1 (five innings)
The Wasps struck first with a run in the top of the first when King scored on a groundout by Silvis. Wise scored three in the bottom of the frame highlighted by a trio of base knocks.
In the bottom of the second, the Cavaliers extended their lead to 5-1 with a Brie Frazier sacrifice fly and a single down the left field line by Mallory McKnight.
Frazier and Adyson Gibson combined for a pair of RBI base hits in the third to continue to push the UVA Wise margin to 7-1. The fourth and fifth innings saw the Cavaliers tally single runs to make it 9-1 and end the game via the "eight-run advantage" rule.
Alivia Nolley earned the complete-game victory, allowing one unearned run on one hit with one strikeout. The Wasps went through three pitchers in the loss as junior MaKayla Dowdy (Blacksburg, Va.) took the loss with three runs on three hits and two walks.
Up Next
Emory & Henry returns home for its next four games beginning with a SAC doubleheader against Coker University on Tuesday at 1:00 p.m.
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