Salem, Va. - The early season has not been kind for the defending Appalachian Athletic Conference champs, UVa-Wise played in only the second time of the spring. The Highland Cavaliers fell short against the Maroons of Roanoke College, 3-0 and 10-4, before getting their feet under them with a win, 5-4, over the Lady Bears of West Virginia Tech.

The UVa-Wise (1-4) bats started slowly on the day with seven hits in the first two contests before exploding with 10 in game three. Kayla Cash, Kaitlin Bennett and Ashlee Washburn all accounted for three hits apiece. Cash had all hers in the finale including her first collegiate homer. Washburn doubled and added two singles while Bennett produced three singles. Ashleigh Roenker had the other extra base hit with a double to go with another hit. Both Christine Cantone and Maddi Ridenour singled twice and Katie Rinkewich had one hit.

In game one, Roanoke scored once in the fourth and twice in the sixth while allowing just two UVa-Wise hits in the 3-0 shutout.

The Cavs enjoyed its first lead with a pair of scores in the second inning of game two to go in front, 2-1. Bennett walked and Washburn rushed her around to second on a double. Rinkewich squeeze bunted Bennett home before Ridenour lined a hit home to plate Washburn. 

The visitors tied the game, 4-4, in the top of the fifth. Kesha Perrigan reached base on an error and Ridenour walked. Both runners advance on Kirsten Velazquez's sacrifice. Roenker doubled both home for the two tallies. The tie would not last as Roanoke pushed across four runs in both home fifth and sixth for the 10-4 final.

After a scoreless first, UVa-Wise received a home run by Cash to get on the board first against West Virginia Tech. Perrigan singled and would come around to score on two Lady Bears miscues for the 2-0 lead.

West Virginia Tech came back with four runs off Ali Gross. Lauren Snead came on in relief to fan 13 batters in 5.1 innings without allowing a hit the rest of the way. Washburn and Cash teamed up to score the game-deciding runs with one in the third and one in the seventh. Cash line a single to score Washburn, who doubled, in the third before she doubled home Washburn, who singled in the seventh for the 5-4 final.

UVa-Wise continues on the weekend swing with a pair of contests starting at 1:00 p.m. Sunday at Lynchburg College.

Roanoke Game 1

                         1      2       3        4         5         6         7       R     H      E

UVa-Wise                                                                             0      2      4

Roanoke                                     1                    2                 3      3      1

LP: Snead/ C Rinkewich

WP: Kelsey/ C Lowery

Game 2

                       1      2       3      4       5       6       7       R     H     E

UVa-Wise                2                       2                         4     5      1

Roanoke          1               1               4       4               10    9      2

LP: McCoy/ C Cash

WP: #14? / C Warlitner

 
Game 3

                             1     2     3      4      5     6       7       R     H      E

UVa-Wise                    3     1                             1        5    10      3        

WV Tech                       4                                             4     4       5

WP:  Snead/ Cash

LP:  McComas/ Taylor