Wise, VA - Hamilton Bennett pitched a perfect game as the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs avenged a Friday loss by sweeping a double header from UVa-Wise on Saturday. UVa-Wise is now 26-19 overall and 11-15 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. 

A pitching performance not soon to be forgotten occurred in the day's first game. Hamilton Bennett's fast ball kept UVa-Wise hitters off stride all day; the left hander was consistently in the upper 80's on radar guns throughout Stallard Field. Tennessee Wesleyan's defense did not falter behind Bennett in the perfect game bid. In the seventh, Tommy Meier hit a ground ball to the hole between first and second base only to see Wesleyan first baseman Ryan Santos field the ball and throw to a covering Bennett to beat Meier by half a step. The southpaw also had to endure a 3-2 count in the game's final inning; Bennett eventually struck out Cody Bentley in that at bat. 

At the plate, the Bulldogs were powered by Cody Gaskil's three rbi game. For the game, Gaskil was two for three with two home runs. Max Loveland and Brad Pippa also had two hit days for Wesleyan. Josh Joseph started for UVa-Wise and was relieved after three innings by Preston Smith. The combo combined to strike out four while surrendering three earned runs.

Both offenses performed much better in the series finale. Following three Tennessee Wesleyan runs in the top of the first, UVa-Wise answered back to tie the contest in the bottom half of the inning. Freshman Brett Hytlon continued his hot streak with a three rbi double scoring Cody Bentley, Brad Robbins, and Luis Roa. The Bulldogs scored five more runs over the game's next two innings to lead 8-3 going to the fourth. In the fourth, UVa-Wise held Wesleyan scoreless for the first time in the game and cut into the deficit in the home half of the inning. Pinch hitter Alex Feemster tripled and scored one batter later on a Bentley ground out to make it an 8-4 game.

In the sixth, the Cavalier offense strung together three hits to put three more runs on the board. Bentley doubled, Dusty Haigler walked, and Roa singled to load the bases. Again, Brett Hylton produced in a clutch situation. Hylton singled in two to cut the lead to 8-6;  following Hylton, Brian King and Taylor Jones each worked walks, Jones' walk scored Roa to make it an 8-7 score. With the bases loaded and two outs the Bulldogs turned to Jason Ferguson to stop the threat. UVa-Wise pinch hitter Tommy Meier hit a slow roller over the head of Ferguson on the first pitch of the at bat only to be thrown out in a bang bang play at first base for the third out of the inning.

The Bulldogs put the game away in the top half of the seventh by scoring five runs. Jonathon Smith and Cody Gaskil each picked up two rbi in the inning. Gaskil hit a two run home run; the home run was his fourth of the day. Leading 13-8, Ferguson allowed just one base hit in the seventh to pick up the save.

UVa-Wise will return to action on Tuesday when they host Reinhardt College in the regular season finale. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. at Stallard Field. 

Game One:

Score by Innings                 R H E

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Tennessee Wesleyan.. 100 110 2 - 5 7 0

UVa-Wise............ 000 000 0 - 0 0 2

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WP: Hamilton Bennet - Brad Pippa

LP: Josh Joesph - Tommy Meier

Game Two:

Score by Innings                 R H E

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Tennessee Wesleyan.. 332 000 5 - 13 14 3

UVa-Wise............ 300 103 0 - 7 12 0

WP: Freddy Lewis - David Lindsay

LP: Ryan Crosby - Kirby Bush

SV: Jason Ferguson