Cleveland, Tenn. - After weather claimed the first four dates of the season, UVa-Wise finally took the softball diamond on Saturday and the rust showed. The 16^th-ranked Lee University Flames swept past UVa-Wise, 5-2 and 11-1.

The Cavs (0-2) managed only seven hits over 12 trips to the plate. Christine Cantone, Katie Rinkewich and Maddi Ridenour accounted for two hits apiece. Cantone had a rbi single in the opener and doubled in the late contest. Rinkewich singled in a run and singled and scored in game two. Ridenour lined two hits in the second affair with Kaitlin Bennett lining the final hit in the first game.

The Flames (7-1) took a 4-0 lead after three innings in the first game. The Cavs battled back into the game their third trip at bat. Ridenour reached on an error and was sacrificed to second by Kirsten Velazquez before scoring on a Cantone single. After Ashlee Washburn was hit by a pitch, Bennett drew a walk to load the bases and Rinkewich posted her first collegiate rbi with a free pass to plate Cantone for a 4-2 score after three and a half frames. Lee added an insurance tally in the home sixth for what would be the 5-2 final.

Following two scores innings, Lee blistered the UVa-Wise pitching with nine runs in the third. The home team lined seven hits and drew three walks with one Cavs error as part of the long run binge. Lee added two more in the fourth on two doubles. Rinkewich scored in the top of the fifth after singling when Rachel Thompson reached on a Lee miscue but was not enough to prevent the 11-1 five-inning run-rule outcome.

UVa-Wise will try to open its home slate on Tuesday afternoon in a twinbill against Emory & Henry College starting at 4:00 p.m.

Game 1
UVa    000 200 0     2-3-3
Lee     013 001 x     5-4-1
WP: Johana Gomez  C: Krista Goodlet  SV: Brittany Balough
LP: Lauren Snead       C: Katie Rinkewich
2B: Balough (L); HR: Ruiz (L), Farrow (L)

Game 2
UVa  000 01 1-4-3
Lee   009 2x  11-13-1
WP: Caitlin Beshears C-Goodlet
LP: Ashleigh Roenker C-Rinkewich
2B: Cantone (UVA), Balough (L), Ruiz (L), Haley (L)