Concord Goes 1-1 Against Wheeling Jesuit

ATHENS, W.Va- The Concord University softball team split a Sunday series against Wheeling Jesuit, dropping the first game 2-1 before winning the second game 4-3 in Mountain East Conference play.
 
Concord is now 20-14 overall (9-7 MEC), while WJU is 21-11 (9-3 MEC). 
 
Game 1: Wheeling Jesuit 2 - Concord 1
Defensively, both teams made big plays to keep the game scoreless through the first five innings.

A double play in the third inning that was snarred by freshman pitcher / utility Aarron Ward that started a 1-2-3 putout and an outfield assist from junior outfielder Lauren Lewis that threw WJU's Taylor DiPerna out at home helped to preserve the scoreless tie. 

The Cardinals waited until the fifth inning to score their first run of the game and take a 1-0 lead.  Senior catcher Alyssa Morris led off the top of the sixth with a solo homer, her seventh this season, to tie the game at 1-1. However, Wheeling Jesuit tacked on a run in the top of the seventh to take a 2-1 lead that it would hold onto for the win.

Morris finished 1-for-2 with an RBI. 

Junior shortstop Alayna Furr, junior outfielder / pitcher Sarah Herndon, Lewis and senior second baseman / outfielder Kristen Rose all had one hit.

Ward (5-3) was exceptional in the circle as she tossed a complete game in the defeat, but limited Wheeling Jesuit to two runs (one earned) on four hits.
 
Game 2: Concord 4 - Wheeling Jesuit 3
Game two was another close affair between the two teams. 

WJU opened up the first inning with a run before Concord responded with two runs in the third inning. Freshman outfielder/ pitcher Abby Beatty scored after singling to start the inning courtesy of an RBI groundout by Lewis. 

The next batter, Morris, drove in freshman outfielder Lindsey Stahl off of an RBI single to give CU a 2-1 edge. 

The Mountain Lions added two runs in the fifth inning to make the score 4-1. 

Sophomore catcher / designated hitter Nicole Neri started the inning off with a double before sophomore third baseman Alycea Watson brought home Stahl, who pinch ran for Neri, and  Furr.  A late rally by the Cardinals fell short as Beatty limited the Cardinals in the sixth and seventh inning. 

Beatty  forced two groundouts with runners in scoring position in both innings to halt WJU's comeback bid. 

Watson finished 1-for-4 with two RBI.  Lewis and Morris each added an RBI of their own. 

Concord will travel to UVa.-Wise on Wednesday for a MEC doubleheader at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.