Concord Splits on the Road at Shepherd

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.VA-  The Concord University softball team split a series on the road against MEC North Division-leading Shepherd, falling 6-5 in game one before coming back with an 11-7 victory in game two.
 
Concord are now 24-16 on the year (13-9 MEC), while Shepherd's record now stands at 20-11 (13-3 MEC). 
 
 
Game 1: Shepherd 6 - Concord 5 (Nine Innings)
Two runs by Shepherd in the bottom of the ninth gave the Rams a walk-off win against Concord.

Junior shortstop Alayna Furr started things off quickly for the Mountain Lions in game one after a leadoff triple and scored on junior outfielder Lauren Lewis's sacrifice fly one batter later to get CU on the board in the first inning.

Shepherd responded in the second inning with a run of their own to even the score 1-1. 

SU broke the 1-1 tie with three unanswered runs that led to a 4-1 advantage after five innings.  

However, the Mountain Lions fought back with three runs in the seventh as Lewis doubled home Furr and freshman outfielder Lindsey Stahl and Lewis crossed home plate on a sacrifice fly by junior pitcher / outfielder Sarah Herndon to force extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth inning, sophomore third baseman Alycea Watson pushed Concord in front with an RBI single in the ninth. But, Shepherd plated two runs in the of the inning to grab a 6-5 win.

 Furr finished 4-for-5 with three runs scored while Lewis had two hits and two RBI. Senior second baseman / outfielder Kristen Rose also had two hits in game one.

Herndon (9-12) was tagged with the loss as she gave up six runs (five earned) in 8.2 innings.
 
Game 2: Concord 11 - Shepherd 7 
A frantic seventh-inning comeback by Concord gave the Mountain Liosn a split as they scored five runs in the final inning of the game.

Concord scored two runs in the first inning as senior catcher Alyssa Morris notched a two-RBI double, and in the second inning CU padded its lead with three more runs as Furr drove in two runs with a single and Rose added an RBI double in the frame.

Five unanswered runs by the Rams tied the game 5-5 after two innings. A Shepherd error scored Watson in the third before SU grabbed a 7-6 edge with two runs in the sixth inning.

With Concord down one run with only three outs to work with, the Mountain Lions loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. A base hit by Herndon tied the game before freshman second baseman Kylie Kent came up with her only hit of the game as her single pushed across Morris and Watson to give Concord a 9-7 lead. The Mountain Lions scored two more runs in the frame to take an 11-7 lead for the final margin of victory.
 
Rose led the offensive effort in game two for Concord as she posted a 3-for-5 afternoon. Morris had two hits and two RBI in the nightcap.

Herndon earned her 12th win of the season as she pitched 1.1 innings of relief while allowing just one hit.
 
Concord will return home for a non-conference doubleheader against King University on Wednesday. Game times are set for 3 and 5 p.m.