URBANA, Ohio – The Concord University softball team split two games with Urbana, falling 7-6 before winning 12-4, Saturday afternoon at Blue Knight Field in Mountain East Conference action.
The Mountain Lions are 14-22 this season and 11-15 versus the MEC. UU moves to 8-36 and 6-20 versus conference foes.
Game 1: Urbana 7 – Concord 6
The Blue Knights scored six of their seven runs in the second inning, and CU's seventh-inning rally came up just short.
UU scored the contest's first run in the first before junior first baseman
Lauren Blunt answered with a run-scoring single in the top of the second.
However, Urbana crossed home plate six times in the bottom of the frame to gain a 7-1 advantage. The Mountain Lions chipped away at the deficit by scoring two runs in the third on sophomore utility
Amber Stokes' first career triple, and added two more scores on an RBI double by sophomore pitcher / first baseman Rachel Prtichard and an RBI single from junior outfielder
Abby Beatty in the fifth.
Still down 7-5 going to its final at-bat, senior third baseman
Alycea Watson reached base to start the inning and scored on a second RBI single from Beatty to cut the deficit to 7-6. Freshman outfielder
Dani Bloomingdale—running for Beatty--moved to third after a groundout followed by a single by sophomore pitcher / outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick.
With the tying run at third and the go-ahead run at first with two outs, Urbana's Carley Allen induced a ground ball to third to end the game.
Beatty, Pritchard and sophomore second baseman / shortstop
Jenna Witt each had two hits in the contest. Beatty tallied two RBI while Witt collected her 17
th and 18
th doubles of the season.
Fitzpatrick (9-8) was charged with the loss as she gave up four earned runs and struck out three in six innings.
Game 2: Concord 12 – Urbana 4
The Mountain Lions reached double-digit runs in a game for the first time this season as they gained a split with UU in the nightcap.
After Urbana went up 2-1 at the end of the first inning, CU responded with five runs in the second as it began to pull away. With two runners on base and three runs already on the board in the second, Pritchard punched a single to left field to cap the five-run burst. Freshman catcher / outfielder
Kayle Starnes also had an RBI in the frame to aid the rally.
Concord added to its advantage in the fifth with four more runs. Pritchard again had the big hit for CU in the fifth as her double to left field plated senior catcher / outfielder
Chelsea Shepherd and Witt.
The Blue Knights scored a pair of runs in the fifth, but the Mountain Lions still held an 11-4 lead before tacking on a run on a groundout in the top of the seventh.
Pritchard had a career day at the plate as she recorded five hits, five RBI and two doubles. She also earned her fourth win of the season in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out two in four innings.
Starnes and Witt each had three hits and an RBI in the contest.
CU completes its Ohio road swing 1:00 p.m. Sunday at Notre Dame.
Â
