Lady Cavs Post Big Offense and One-Hitter to Split with Patriots

April 22, 2008
Game 1 Boxscore

Game 2 Boxscore

Wise, Va. – Christine Cantone blasted her a three-run homer as one of her five hits and the UVa-Wise second game pitchers posted a one-hitter to earned a split with the University of the Cumberlands in softball Tuesday. The Lady Cavs exploded for a 12-0 five-inning late victory after losing a tough 3-1 opening decision.

Cantone (Va. Beach, Va.) had her best day in her two years at UVa-Wise (25-15). She singled twice in the first game before connecting on her first collegiate homer, a three-run shot, to go with two singles and four rbi in the late contest. Candace Winslow (Chesapeake, Va.) hit her third homer of the year, a solo shot, two singles, lofted two sac flies and drove in four runs.

In the late game, Amanda Wheeler Sims (Jonesborough, Tenn.) and Megan McCoy (Va. Beach, Va.) carried a no-hitter into the seventh where it was broken up on a two-out single.

Brittany Tunnell (Wise, Va.), Sarah Smith (Norton, Va.) and Holly Gilliam (Big Stone Gap, Va.) singled two times apiece.

Game 1

After three scoreless innings, Whitney Piar led off the fourth with an infield single for the Patriots (20-18). Piar would three batters later for the game’s first run on a Tiffany Meadors single to left field. Piar doubled to left in the sixth and scored the second tally on a single for a 2-0 score. Cumberlands carried a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh compliments of three UVa-Wise errors.

Cantone and Britney Lawson (Duffield, Va.) singled to start the seventh. Both runners moved up on a ground out. Melanie Sutherland (Birchleaf, Va.) hit a sac fly to center to score Cantone but the home team could get no more to fall 3-1.

Game 2

For how hard it was for the Lady Cavs to score in the opener, it was that easy to post runs on the board in game two. Winslow and Lawson had sac flies as part of a three-run first.

With two on and two out, Cantone connected for a three-run homer to left field to break open the contest. Winslow followed her with her own long ball to center to make it 7-0.

Smith and Sarah Stone (Blountville, Tenn.) highlighted a three-run third with run-scoring hits. Cantone added a rbi single and Winslow another sac fly to complete the scoring in the fourth to bring the game to what would be the final, 12-0.

McCoy went the first two innings and allowed just two base runners on an error and a walk. Wheeler Sims followed and continued the no-hitter until a single snuck past Cantone at second with two outs to break it up.

UVa-Wise will finish its 2008 regular season on Sunday with a twinbill at Mountain (W.Va.) State starting at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.