MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Concord University softball team went 1-1 Sunday at the Snowbird Freeze Out Tournament as it lost to Southern New Hampshire 5-0, but picked up an 8-2 victory over Merrimack.
The Mountain Lions are 1-3 this season after four games in South Carolina.
Game 1: Southern New Hampshire 5 – Concord 0
SNHU scored two runs in its first time to the plate and crossed three more times in its last at-bat to beat Concord.
The Penmen took advantage of some small ball as they scored a run on a fielder's choice and added another on a sacrifice fly in the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead.
CU threatened to knot the game up in the third as sophomore pitcher / outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick and junior pitcher / outfielder
Abby Beatty walked and doubled to lead off the third inning, however, Southern New Hampshire's Maddy Barone induced two infield pop ups and struck out a batter to end the frame.
A two-run home run highlighted a three-run bottom of the sixth for the Penmen as they kept Concord off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh for a 5-0 win.
Sophomore pitcher / first baseman
Rachel Pritchard and sophomore second baseman / shortstop
Jenna Witt each had a hit in the contest to go along with Beatty's double.
Fitzpatrick (0-2) allowed three earned runs on six hits while striking out a batter in the circle.
Game 2: Concord 8 – Merrimack 2
The Mountain Lions busted a close 1-0 game open in the third inning in route to a six-run victory.
Witt blasted her first of two home runs in the game in the top of the first to give Concord a 1-0 edge. The lead remained a run until a four-run third frame.
With two outs in the frame, and Witt on second after a double to left field, it appeared CU may go quietly in the third. But, senior third baseman
Alycea Watson was hit by a pitch and junior first baseman
Lauren Blunt singled to load the bases for freshman catcher / third baseman
Kaitlyn Stewart who was also hit with a stray pitch.
Freshman catcher / outfielder
Kayle Starnes had the biggest hit in the frame as she cleared the bases after a single to center field. Blunt and Watson raced home on the base knock while Stewart came in to score on an error by MC.
Down 5-0 going to the bottom of the third, Merrimack responded with two runs to draw within three.
The Mountain Lions had more two-out offense in the sixth. Beatty started the rally with a single then stole second before scoring on junior infielder
Kylie Kent's single to left field. Witt added some insurance for Concord with a two-run homer to extend the CU lead to 8-2.
Witt collected three of the seven CU hits in the contest and added her fourth and fifth career home runs. The Harpers Ferry, West Virginia native recorded three RBI in the game.
Starnes tallied her first career RBI with the third-inning single.
Pritchard (1-1) was the winning pitcher for the Mountain Lions as she tossed a complete game, allowing two earned runs on six scattered hits. Pritchard fanned three Merrimack hitters.
Concord opens up its home schedule February 26 against St. Augustine's.
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