Another Tough Seventh Frame Ends UVa-Wise Softball Season
 
May 12, 2006

Owensboro, KY -- For the second time in two days, a tough seventh inning spelled trouble and ended the Lady Cavs softball season at the NAIA Region XII tournament. UVa-Wise jumped out early and led the first six innings before its nemesis Tennessee Wesleyan pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh and took away a 6-5 victory.

UVa-Wise completed its 2006 season at 35-16, the second 35-plus win season in a row. The Lady Cavs were co-regular season and tournament champions of the Appalachian Athletic Conference but the season fell short of their goal. The goal of defending its region title and make the second NAIA national championships appearance.

Dani Benton earned all-region pitcher for the tournament. At the plate, Shelley Newton and Krystal Showers sliced rbi doubles. Britney Lawson produced two singles, scored two times and stole a base. Alicia King had a run-scoring single while Benton, Amber Quillen and Ashley Addington had the team's other hits.

After a scoreless top of the first, the Lady Cavs jumped on the board. Lawson lined a singled, stole second and moved to third on a Benton ground out to second. Newton reached base on a Lady Bulldog error to score Lawson. Showers followed with a two-bagger to plate Newton. King made it three runs by singling to score Showers.

Lawson started the scoring again in the second for UVa-Wise. She singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Benton scored Lawson with a single. Newton followed by doubling to bring home Benton and open a 5-0 advantage after two frames.

Tennessee Wesleyan put a single tally on the board in the third before pulling to within a run, 5-4, with a trio of scores in the fifth.

Trailing 5-4 in the top of the seventh, the Lady Bulldogs had runners on first and second with two outs. On a UVa-Wise passed ball, Tennessee Wesleyan scored one run before the throw from the catcher to the pitcher at home went offline to plate what would be the game-winning run to make it 6-5. UVa-Wise could not score again in the bottom of the seventh to see its season come to a close.

TWC 001 030 2 6-8-1
Wise 320 000 0 5-9-3

WP: Chaney C-Richards
LP: Mazur (12-7) C-Newton
2B: Newton (W), Showers (W)