ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team split two games with Wheeling Jesuit Thursday evening in Mountain East Conference play at the CU Softball Field as it won game one 6-2 before falling in the nightcap, 1-0.
Concord is 11-13 overall and 8-6 in the MEC after Thursday while WJU is 11-16 and 7-5 in the conference.
Game 1: Concord 6 – Wheeling Jesuit 2
After not picking up a hit through the first three innings, the Mountain Lions broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the fourth and added insurance in the sixth inning on their way to a four-run win.
The first three batters of the fourth inning reached with sophomore second baseman / shortstop
Jenna Witt singling up the middle to start the frame. Junior outfielder
Abby Beatty tripled home Witt on a sinking line drive that got past Wheeling Jesuit's diving center fielder. Sophomore utility
Amber Stokes completed the rally as she raced to first on an infield single that scored Beatty.
Wheeling Jesuit tallied a run in the fifth inning to slice the CU lead in half, but Concord took advantage of a Cardinals' error in the sixth that aided a four-run frame. Witt got the inning started with a walk that was followed by a single from Beatty. With runners at first and second, Stokes cracked a double into right field that brought in Witt. After an RBI from senior third baseman
Alycea Watson, Wheeling Jesuit's starting pitcher, Mallory Chapman, made an errant throw to third base on a fielder's choice that scored Stokes and Watson.
WJU got a run in the seventh on an RBI groundout, but it was as close as they would get in a 6-2 Concord win.
CU's 3-5 hitters of Witt, Beatty and Stokes combined to go 5-for-8 with five runs scored and four RBI. Stokes finished with two hits and two RBI.
Sophomore pitcher / outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick won her eighth game of the season by tossing seven innings and allowing two runs and striking out four batters. Additionally, Fitzpatrick stranded seven WJU base runners, and limited Wheeling Jesuit to 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
Game 2: Wheeling Jesuit 1 – Concord 0
The Cardinals scored an unearned run in the seventh for the game's only run.
Wheeling Jesuit had a chance to plate some early scores, but left the bases loaded in the second as freshman pitcher
Tara Williams induced a groundout to Witt at shortstop to end the threat.
The Mountain Lions' best opportunity to score was in the sixth. Beatty led off the frame with a single into left field, and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. A two-out walk to Watson put runners at the corners, however, WJU was able to escape and keep the game scoreless.
In the seventh, Wheeling Jesuit's Brianna Grimes drew a leadoff walk. During the next at-bat, Grimes swiped second and advanced on a throwing error by CU. On third with no outs, Grimes scored on a sacrifice fly to push WJU up 1-0.
But, the Mountain Lions posed a threat in the bottom half of the inning as junior first baseman
Lauren Blunt reached on an error to start the frame. With runners on first and second after a two-out walk to Witt, WJU's Erin Unterbrink induced a groundout to end the game.
Williams and sophomore pitcher / first baseman
Rachel Pritchard combined to hold Wheeling Jesuit to five hits. Pritchard (3-8) was the hard-luck loser as she allowed two hits and an unearned run while striking out four over four innings.
Witt had two hits in the nightcap to pace the offense.
Concord hosts West Liberty at 2:00 p.m. Friday in a doubleheader.
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