Concord's Season Ended at MEC Tournament

TROUTVILLE, Va.- The Concord University Softball team began Saturday at the Mountain East Conference Tournament with a 7-2 victory over Shepherd University before falling 8-0 to UVa.-Wise in the final game of the season.   

Concord closes the 2016 campaign at 31-23 overall, and it has clinch a third consecutive 30-win season, a first in program history.

Shepherd falls to 34-16, while UVa.-Wise improves to 28-29.    
 
Game 1: Concord 7 - Shepherd 2
Concord jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after junior shortstop Alayna Furr started the game with a double to right field before advancing to third. Senior catcher Alyssa Morris brought home Furr on an RBI groundout. Shepherd responded with a run in the second inning before taking a 2-1 lead in the third inning. 

Concord tied the game in the fourth after Morris started off the frame with a double as senior second baseman / outfielder Kristen Rose singled her in two batters later. The Mountain Lions used the sixth inning to pull away, scoring three runs. Freshman pitcher / outfielder Abby Beatty started the scoring with an RBI from a fielder's choice before Kylie Kent used a sacrifice fly to score sophomore third baseman Alycea Watson. An error by the Rams allowed Beatty to touch home plate to close the scoring.

Beatty added a two-run single up the middle to plate Watson and junior outfielder Lauren Lewis in the seventh inning. 

Beatty won her ninth game of the season in the circle.The Roanoke, Va. native gave up five hits through seven innings while striking out five. She also added three RBI. Morris finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.    
 
Game 2: UVa.-Wise 8 - Concord 0 
The Cavaliers used a six-run first inning to pull away early from CU. 

UVa.-Wise added runs in the second and third inning to stretch the lead to 8-0 after three. CU collected four hits on the day.

Beatty finished 2-for-2 from the plate, while Furr and Lewis tallied a hit each. 

Beatty was charged with the loss in the circle for the Mountain Lions. 

Saturday marked the end of the collegiate careers of seniors Katie Allen, Kristi Benvenuto, Morris and Rose.