Box Score SALEM, Va. – The Concord University softball team used home runs by junior second baseman
Whitney Carrigan, sophomore designated player
Alyssa Morris and sophomore pitcher
Allie Reid as well as a run-scoring hit from freshman third baseman
Courtney Purtell to defeat Shepherd University, 6-5, in an elimination game at the 2014 Mountain East Conference Thursday at the Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Va.
Concord now moves on to face Wheeling Jesuit at 7:30 p.m. in yet another elimination game. The Mountain Lions improved to 31-22 on the season with the win while Shepherd's season ends at 21-29.
Shepherd jumped out to an early three-run lead before Carrigan evened the game with a three-run blast, her second career home run, in the top of the second. Prior to Friday's blast, Carrigan's only other collegiate home run came in a Concord victory during her freshman season against Robert Morris-Springfield.
After another Ram score in the top of the fifth, the Mountain Lions answered back in the bottom of the frame with solo home runs from Morris and Reid as well as an RBI-single from Purtell, which plated freshman outfielder
Lauren Lewis, who reached base earlier in the inning off of a Shepherd error, to take its first lead of the game at 6-4 through five innings.
The Rams would get one run back and put runners on first and second in the seventh before Reid ended the comeback bid with her career-high ninth strikeout of the afternoon.
Reid, who came on in relief of freshman pitcher
Sarah Herndon with one out in the first, improved to 17-9 on the year after scattering nine hits and two runs (one earned) in addition to the nine strikeouts over 6.2 innings.
Morris, Purtell, Carrigan and sophomore outfielder
Kristi Benvenuto each finished the day 1-for-3 with one run scored while freshman catcher
Carly DiVirgilio led all Mountain Lions with a pair of hits in a two-for-3 performance. Morris' hit extended her hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.
Junior centerfielder
Jessica Seymour also stole her 17
th base of the season in the tournament victory.
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