WISE, Va. - Softball salvaged a split with UVA-Wise on the road Wednesday afternoon with a 5-1 victory during game two. The win came after the Bears dropped the opener 2-0. The two runs in the opening game were both unearned after an error in the opening inning while UVA-Wise spun a one-hit shutout in the circle.
The opening game started with Kelsey Jenkins tripling with one-out. However, the Bears could not score her from third as the other three batters to come up in the first inning went down on strike outs. Ali Thompson would get the first batter she faced but the second would reach on a throwing error. The Cavaliers would fly out to center in what should have been the third out of the inning but two walks would load the bases and a two-out single would push across the unearned runs.
The Bears would also work leadoff walks in the second and third with a two-out walk in their half of the fourth inning as well but those runners were also unable to advance as Cavaliers starter Rachel Hawks did not allow a hit after the triple to Jenkins in the first.
Hawks would then get the Bears in order the final three innings to pick up the shutout victory in the circle. In total, she would strike out seven hitters. Thompson also finished with a complete game, throwing six innings and allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out four.
After UVA-Wise capitalized on SSU's lone error of the afternoon in game one, it was the Bears that took advantage of four Cavalier errors in the second game.
The Bears scored all five of their runs in the first four innings. An Ericka Leighty double started game two and Jenkins would single to put a pair of runners in scoring position before a wild pitch made it 1-0 after the first. Hannah Dittoe would single to start the second inning and came around to score on a Tara Prater RBI double to make it 2-0. A second defensive error in the inning would allow Prater to score after she moved to third on her double with the first error of the inning.
Thompson, who came in at first base during the second game, singled with one out in the third. Holly Brabson would come back in to run and finish the game at first. Brabson would score the fourth run of the game on an Abbey Barrett double to make it 4-0 after the third inning.
Allie Chapman got the start in game two for the Bears and allowed her first run of the game in the bottom of the third to make it 4-1. However, she would get that run back herself in the top of the fourth with her first career home run. The hit was also the lucky number seven of her SSU career as she had just 33 at-bats before the game Tuesday evening.
She would not allow another run after her fourth inning home run and the Bears would salvage the split with a 5-1 win during the second game. Chapman picked up the win with another complete game as she allowed seven hits and just one walk while striking out five over her seven innings of work. The victory was her 10th of the season.
Thursday's doubleheader at home with Rio Grande has been postponed due to inclement weather. The two teams have tentatively scheduled those games for a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Friday. Make sure to check back with SSUBears.com for the latest on any schedule changes.
