SOFTBALL: GOING OUT BIG

CU SCORES 20 RUNS IN SWEEP AT WHEELING JESUIT

If Sunday was to be the ending of the Concord softball team's 2012 season, it was going to be a happy one.

The Mountain Lions offense had a big day, erupting for 20 runs in sweeping Wheeling Jesuit in a WVIAC doubleheader, 14-8 and 6-3, at the JB Chambers I-470 Complex in Wheeling, WV.

Junior pitcher Tamara Smith worked a total of 12 innings to get the win in both games.

GAME ONE

WJU struck quickly, sending 13 batters to the plate in scoring eight runs in the bottom of the 1st.  The first eight Cardinals reached base, including a grand slam home run from Erika Jusko.

Lacey McDougall AB, for April 22
Concord fired back in top of the 3rd.  After Stephanie Harper singled, Lacey McDougall (left) launched a two-run homer to the opposite field to make the score 8-2.

The Mountain Lions struck again in the 4th, sending up ten hitters and scoring five times on six hits.

Sheila Davies led off with a single and, one out later, Tamara Smith hit a two-run homer to get CU within 8-4.
Brantlea Wood resumed the rally with a double and
Karsyn Boothe drove her in with a single.  Harper singled and Laura Kaminski walked, loading the bases, and McDougall drove in Boothe with a single up the middle. 
A fielder's choice from Becca Gleason brought in Kaminski and cut the deficit to 8-7.

Two WJU errors and clutch hitting helped Concord score six more times in the 5th.  Mandy Workman reached on a miscue by 1B Alicia Sunagel and moved to second on a Smith groundout.  Wood singled, putting runners on the corners, and an error by SS Heather Helfinstine allowed Workman to score the tying run.
Harper followed with a two-run double to center that gave Concord the lead and Kaminski singled in Harper for an 11-8 advantage.
One out later, Gleason singled, and Davies cleared the bases with a double off the wall in center.

CU added its last run in the 6th, when Boothe walked, stole second, and scored on Harper's RBI single.

For the game, Concord hit .429 (9-21) with runners in scoring position and .414 (12-29) with runners on base.  Harper paced Concord's 17-hit onslaught by going 5-5 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored.  McDougall finished 3-5 with three RBIs, while Davies and Smith each drove in two.

Tamara Smith Pitch, for April 22
Smith (right) got the pitching victory by shutting down the Cardinals on just one hit in five innings of relief.

GAME TWO

The two teams exchanged three-run rallies in the 1st inning.  Concord scored on McDougall's two-run home run and Smith's RBI single.  WJU leveled the score when Helfinstine stole home, Sunagel's RBI double and Shaynna Johnson's run-scoring groundout.

The Cardinals had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the 5th, putting runners at second and third with one out.  But CU catcher Becca Gleason picked off Olivia Wamsley at third and Smith – again the pitcher – got Lorian Tharp to line out to end the inning.

The Mountain Lions turned their defensive momentum into offense, breaking open the game with three runs in the top of the 6th.  McDougall led off with a double; two outs later, Smith drew a walk to keep the inning alive, setting the table for Ericka Davies to lift a three-run homer.

Smith kept the Cardinals in check over the final two innings to earn her second win of the day.


CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO SUNDAY'S BOXSCORES


Concord ends its first season under head coach Alia Tasler at 20-29, 9-16 in the WVIAC.  It's the third straight 20-win season for the Lady Lions program.


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