SALEM, Va. – The Concord University softball team fell to West Virginia Wesleyan 5-2 in the winner's bracket final of the Mountain East Conference Tournament Saturday at the Moyer Sports Complex.
With just three teams left in the tournament, the Mountain Lions (33-16, 19-7 MEC) will now face its first round opponent Notre Dame 10:30 a.m. Sunday for the right to play WVWC in the championship game 1:00 p.m. Sunday.
Three runs by the Bobcats (35-6, 22-2 MEC) in the second inning and a two-run home run by MEC Player of the Year Brooklyn Waddell in the sixth inning was too much for CU to overcome.
After the trio of runs by West Virginia Wesleyan in the second, CU came through with a rally of its own in the top of the third.
A leadoff single from sophomore shortstop
Alayna Furr followed by a double from junior catcher
Alyssa Morris gave the Mountain Lions a prime opportunity to cut into the deficit. The next batter, sophomore outfielder
Lauren Lewis batted a single up the middle to plate Furr.
Two batters later senior pitcher / first baseman
Lacey McDougall's fielder's choice scored Lewis, however, it was as close as CU would get as the third inning ended with two Mountain Lions stranded on base.
In the sixth, Waddell launched a home run to left field to give WVWC a 5-2 lead.
Lewis knocked a double to right field with two outs in the seventh, but Bobcats' pitcher Hannah Vet retired the next batter to end the game.
Furr, Lewis and Morris each finished 2-for-4 at the plate to combine for six of the seven Mountain Lions' hits. Furr and Lewis each scored a run while Lewis also drove in a run.
McDougall (14-7) was charged with the loss as she pitched six innings, giving up five earned runs.
Earlier in the tournament, CU downed NDC 2-1 as freshman pitcher
Katie Snodgress tossed 5.1 innings of shutout ball with McDougall picking up the save.
Furr and junior second baseman
Kristen Rose supplied the RBI for the CU offense.
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