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Box Score 2 ATHENS, W.Va. – Behind an offensive showcase, the Concord University softball team swept West Liberty University, 7-4 and 10-5, in Mountain East Conference play Friday afternoon at the CU Softball Field.
The Mountain Lions improved to 27-17 this season and 11-11 in MEC play with the sweep. West Liberty fell to 8-35 overall and 1-21 in league games with the losses.
CU was led on the day by the quartet of freshman designated player
Carly DiVirgilio, freshman outfielder
Lauren Lewis, sophomore catcher
Alyssa Morris and sophomore second baseman
Kristen Rose.
DiVirgilio was 5-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lewis extended her 12-game hitting streak by going 3-for-6 with two runs, four RBI and a stolen base. Lewis is 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts. Morris was 4-for-7 with three runs and two RBI while Rose rounded out the group on a 4-for-6 effort that included four runs and a triple, her team-leading fourth triple and an RBI.
In the circle, Concord sophomore pitcher
Allie Reid broke the Mountain Lions' single-season wins record after earning her 14
th victory of the season after game one's triumph. Reid (14-7) broke Tamara Smith's previous record of 13 wins set in 2010.
Along with Reid's pitching, Concord used a four-run sixth inning to propel itself to a 7-4 comeback win in the opener.
Reid pitched her 14
th complete game of the season on the way to her milestone win. She scattered nine hits and three earned runs while striking out four batters in seven innings. She allowed no runs after the third inning.
Trailing 3-0 through a half inning of play, Concord answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first when Reid, who reached base after being hit by a pitch and was advanced on a fielder's choice, scored on a West Liberty error to narrow the WLU lead to 3-1.
A solo homer from West Liberty's Kalyn Hanby in the third inning pushed the Hilltoppers' lead to 4-1.
Undeterred, the Mountain Lions started their rally in the bottom third. Rose started the frame by driving a lead-off double before eventually scoring later in the inning on a sacrifice fly by Lewis to make it a 4-2 affair.
CU continued to chip away at the deficit in the fourth inning. DiVirgilio singled and was pinch ran for by junior outfielder
Jessica Seymour who proceeded to steal second before being plated via an RBI-double from sophomore outfielder
Kristi Benvenuto, cutting the score to just 4-3.
The score remained 4-3 until the sixth inning when Concord broke through for four runs. With two on and one out, Morris stroked a double to bring home Seymour and freshman shortstop
Alayna Furr for the tying and go-ahead scores. The Mountain Lions furthered their lead off of back-to-back RBI-singles from Rose and Lewis.
Reid followed Concord's big sixth inning by recording three quick outs en route to the 7-4 victory.
DiVirgilio recorded her first career three-hit game with a 3-for-3 outing in game one. Lewis and Rose both were 2-for-3 as well with Lewis driving in two runs and Rose scoring twice.
Concord scored eight runs in the first two innings to coast to a 10-5 win against the Hilltoppers in the nightcap.
West Liberty dug into the Mountain Lions' 8-0 lead with four runs in the fourth inning, but would get no closer as Concord countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning before allowing just one additional WLU run in the sixth inning to secure the sweep in a five-run victory.
After driving in the game-winning runs in the opener, Morris carried over her momentum to game two, going 3-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman third baseman
Courtney Purtell, DiVirgilio, Reid and Rose all registered two-hit games as well. Reid highlighted the pack with a home run, her second of the season, and three RBI.
Freshman
Sarah Herndon was the pitcher of record for Concord, improving to 5-8 on the season. She gave up nine hits and four earned runs in 4.1 innings. Herndon struck out a game-high five hitters and escaped a potentially dangerous bases-loaded jam in the third inning to preserve an 8-0 lead at the time. Junior
Brantlea Wood and Reid each pitched 1.1 innings in relief to close out the game.
The Mountain Lions play their final home series of the season 3:00 p.m. Tuesday vs. UVa.-Wise.
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