Cavs Baseball Finishes Regular Season with Most Wins in Four Years

April 29, 2006
Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

Dayton, TN -- The University of Virginia's College at Wise finished its best baseball regular season in four yours on Saturday. The Highland Cavaliers wrapped up its season 27-17 after earning a doubleheader split with the Bryan College Lions. UVa-Wise lost 6-4 in the opener before shutting out the home team, 7-0 in the latter affair.

The 27 victories by the Cavs ties the 2002 squad which finished its year 27-19-1. The Cavs completed a 10-8 Appalachian Athletic Conference slate and fifth place finish. Bryan went to 23-24 overall and 7-11 in the conference.

Will Childress possessed the hot bat for UVa-Wise. Childress produced a four for seven day where he hit a homer in the first game. Jorge Laboy belted two solo home runs in the second game. Matt Begley and Nathan Kiser lined solo homers in the opener while Jon Reed had three hits with doubles in each contest. Andrew Anderson added two hits in the first game.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of the sixth, Begley and Kiser connected on solo round-trippers put the Cavs ahead 4-3. The game stayed that way until the Lions stole home to tie the score, 4-4, in the bottom of the seventh. Bryan took advantage of a balk from Josh Verts to move runners to second and third before the home team hit the game-winning two-run double for the eventual 6-4 final.

As it has been for the fifth time in the last six twinbills, the Cavs bounced back to take the backend of the pair. Begley slapped a two-run single and was followed by run-scoring hits from Kiser and Childress for a 4-0 score after a half inning. UVa-Wise added a single score in the second before Laboy belted solo home runs in both the third and four frames to increase the margin to 7-0. Brandon Horton and David Jones split the final four innings and picked up from starter Clay Salyer to complete the combined four-hitter.

UVa-Wise will return to the diamond for the AAC playoffs on Tuesday, May 3rd. The team will play a 9:00 a.m. contest against Montreat College at Johnonson City's Cardinal Park.

Game 1
UVa-Wise 010 012 000 4-10-1
Bryan 002 100 12x 6-7-0
WP: Dent C-White
LP: Verts (4-3) 7th C-Lemley
Funk (1st 2IP)
Davis (3rd)
2B: White (B), Newman (B), Reed (W); HR: Childress (W), Begley (W), Kiser (W)

Game 2
UVa-Wise 411 100 0 7-11-1
Bryan 000 000 0 0-4-3
WP: Clay Salyer (3-1) C-Lemley
Horton (4th)
Jones (6th)
LP: Jones C-Hicks
2B: Reed (W); HR: Laboy (W) 2