ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team earned a split with Carson-Newman Tuesday afternoon at the CU Softball Field.
Concord won the first game 7-2 before falling 10-6 in eight innings in the nightcap. The Mountain Lions are 2-4 while C-N is 12-6.
Game 1: Concord 7 – Carson-Newman 2
The Mountain Lions used some clutch two-out hitting in the fourth to gain separation from Carson-Newman.
C-N struck first with a run in the top of the fourth in a scoreless contest, but Concord responded in a big way in the bottom of the frame.
After two quick outs in the fourth, senior third baseman
Alycea Watson got the rally started with a single to right field. Two batters later, Watson scored on a base knock by sophomore utility
Amber Stokes. Sophomore pitcher / outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick followed with a single that scored a second CU run in the frame. The next four runs were courtesy a two-RBI single from junior infielder
Kylie Kent and the second career triple for sophomore second baseman / shortstop
Jenna Witt that brought home two more runs.
Junior outfielder
Abby Beatty added a solo home run that cleared the fence in left field and landed on the tennis courts in the sixth inning.
Fitzpatrick needed just 71 pitches to toss a complete game against the Eagles and earn her first win of the season. She scattered nine hits and two runs over seven innings.
Beatty and Fitzpatrick were each 2-for-3 at the plate with Kent and Witt coming through with two RBI a piece.
Game 2: Carson-Newman 10 – Concord 6 (Eight Innings)
Carson-Newman scored five runs in the top of the eighth to win game two of the doubleheader.
However, the Mountain Lions forced C-N to play from behind after plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore pitcher / first baseman
Rachel Pritchard brought in two runs with a single back up the middle. Fitzpatrick and Stokes patiently drew bases-loaded walks during the rally as all four runs occurred with two outs.
Beatty launched her second home run of the day to push the CU lead out to 5-1 advantage after four innings. But, the Eagles scored twice in the fifth and added a pair of runs in the sixth to force extra innings.
C-N's Morgan Crawford had a bases-clearing double in the top of the eighth as it took the game from 7-5 to 10-5 in favor of C-N.
In the bottom half of the frame, Stokes drove a double to left center field to get Concord within 10-6, but it was close as the Mountain Lions would get.
Kent and Pritchard each notched two hits as Pritchard two RBI. Stokes also recorded two RBI.
Additionally, Pritchard (1-2) was charged with the loss in relief.
Concord will continue its home stand when it welcomes Alderson-Broaddus to Athens March 9.
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