Concord Splits at Carson-Newman

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Concord University softball team split a doubleheader with Carson-Newman at The Vick.

The Mountain Lions (5-8) won the first game, 5-0, before falling in the second game to C-N, 9-5.

Game 1: Concord 5 – Carson-Newman 0
A strong pitching performance from senior pitcher / first baseman Lacey McDougall and four errors by the Eagles led to the win by CU.

McDougall pitched her sixth complete game of the season as she evened her record at 3-3 while also collecting her first shutout of the season. McDougall scattered nine hits over seven innings and struck out three batters.

Offensively, Concord scored one run in the second before scoring two runs in both the third and fifth innings. Senior outfielder Jessica Seymour crossed the plate when C-N threw the ball away on a sacrifice bunt from junior outfielder Kristi Benvenuto.

An RBI groundout by McDougall and a double by junior catcher Alyssa Morris were the results of two runs in the third inning. McDougall was able to cross the plate on a throwing error by Carson-Newman in the fifth on a ball hit by sophomore first baseman / third baseman Courtney Purtell.

Purtell scored later in the inning on an RBI base hit from Benvenuto.

Six different Concord players recorded hits in the game. Morris, McDougall and Purtell each had doubles in the win while sophomore shortstop / outfielder Alayna Furr tallied her first triple of the season.

Game 2: Carson-Newman 9 – Concord 5
Carson-Newman stormed back from a 5-2 deficit in the final three innings to defeat CU by four runs.

Four of the five runs by the Mountain Lions in the nightcap were scored in the first inning highlighted by Morris' sixth home run of the season, a three-run shot that plated Furr and McDougall.

The Eagles cut the deficit to 4-2 after three innings, but sophomore shortstop / outfielder Lauren Lewis hit a home run of her own to extend the lead back out to 5-2.

Carson-Newman scored two runs in the fifth and completed the comeback with five runs in the sixth inning.

Junior pitcher Allie Reid pitched the first five innings for Concord, giving up four runs on six hits while striking out a season-high five batters. Sophomore pitcher / outfielder Sarah Herndon (1-2) was charged with the loss as she was unable to record an out in the sixth inning.

Furr and Purtell both had multi-hit games in the loss.

The Mountain Lions will next play at the Shaw Challenge beginning Friday at 1 p.m. versus Virginia State.