Ellis Sac Fly Gives UVA-Wise Opening Win but Second Game Homer Falls One Run Short

April 18, 2007
Game 1 Boxscore

Game 2 Boxscore

Wise, VA – Sophomore Hannah Ellis lofted a sac fly to plate the winning run in the opener for UVA-Wise, 2-1, but her two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh was one run short as King College held on for a 7-6 nightcap upset.

The Lady Cavs move to 23-18 on the season and still hold a one game lead (9-3) in the Appalachian Athletic Conference over Virginia Intermont (6-2). The Tornado goes to 9-25 and 4-6 in the league.

Tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Tori Flint (Charlottesville, VA) lined a lead off single past second and was pinch ran for by Brittany Tunnell (Wise, VA). Amber Harvey (Millboro, VA) sacrificed Tunnell to second before the runner went to third on a wild pitch. Britney Lawson (Duffield, VA) had an infield single to put runners on the corners. Ellis (Keokee, VA) pinch hit for Bobbi Mihelarakis (Sterling, VA) next and lofted a sac fly to right field to plate Tunnell for the 2-1 victory.

Trailing 4-3 after six innings, King started an exciting final frame. Whitney Tweed walked and Emily Bennett had a bunt single to start the inning. After a fly out, Amanda Crumpler’s grounder to short was bobbled and loaded the bases. Katie Hubbard took the third pitch as the next batter deep to left center for a grand slam home run to make it 7-4 Tornado.

In the home seventh, Shelley Newton (Chesapeake, VA) singled and Sarah Frazier (Big Stone Gap, VA) pinch ran for her. Frazier stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Ellis belted a two-run homer to center field to pull the Lady Cavs to within 7-6. Flint stepped up and lined out to King centerfielder Jenna Packard on a running catch to end the game.

At the plate, Ellis’ home run was the first of her two-year collegiate career. Lawson, who stole three bases, and Flint both lined four hits, two in each game, with one double. Newton added three hits with a double and two rbi. Amanda Wheeler Sims (Jonesborough, TN) allowed just two hits and no earned runs to win the first game.

Tweed and Shannon Henry were the lone Tornado players with two hits including home runs in game two. Hubbard’s lone hit of the day with the grand slam.

UVA-Wise will continue its three day swing with a twinbill at Pikeville on Thursday afternoon at 5:00 p.m.