Softball earns split at UVA Wise

Wise, Va. —- The Catawba College softball team earned a split in their final road doubleheader of the regular season at UVA Wise on Saturday in South Atlantic Conference softball action. Catawba moves to 24-16 overall and 12-10 in the SAC, while the Cavaliers move to 9-29 overall and 4-16 in league play.

UVA Wise held Catawba to a single run on six hits in game one. Molly Strider provided the run support with a home run, while Riley Tucker added a pair of hits.

Kara Long recorded an RBI double to put the Cavs on the board before Strider's team-leading 10th homer of the year tied the game at 1. Wise's Emma MacCauley broke the tie with a two-run homer in the fourth and a five-run sixth extended the home team's lead to 8-1.

UVA Wise's McKenna Falwell went the distance to earn the win, while Alex Baquie took the loss, allowing seven runs on nine hits in 5.1 innings of work.

Catawba bounced back in game two, as Tucker added another pair of hits including a homer and Savanna Balderston also left the yard in the 8-3 Catawba win to earn the split.

The Catawba Indians loaded the bases in the top of the first and Bri Gallagher scored two runs on a double to right-center to provide run support early on. Kary Hales doubled the lead in the third on a 2-RBI single.

After the Cavaliers got on the board in the third inning, Courtnee Carter drove in two on an infield single and Tucker hit a solo homer in the fifth to help her own cause in the circle. Balderston followed up with a solo blast of her own in the sixth to pad the lead.

Tucker earned the win in the circle, going the full seven innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, striking out four.

Catawba returns home next Saturday for Senior Day, hosting Coker for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.