CLERMONT, Fla. – The Concord University softball team started The Spring Games by defeating both Nyack, 6-0, and Hillsdale, 3-2, Saturday morning.
The Mountain Lions improve to 5-4 while Nyack falls to 1-3 and Hillsdale drops to 2-7.
Game 1: Concord 6 – Nyack 0
Freshman pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson and sophomore pitcher
Tara Williams combine to give up five hits while striking out nine batters as CU eased it way to a win in the first game of the day.
With neither team on the board in the game, Concord broke out for four runs in the bottom of the second. With two outs and runners on second and third, sophomore catcher/utility
Kaitlyn Stewart started the rally with a run-scoring hit. Thompson and freshman utility
Sarah Thompson followed with singles that scored three more runs.
Senior outfielder
Abby Beatty added some insurance in the third inning with a leadoff home run, her first of the season.
The sixth and final run for the Mountain Lions came with another leadoff home run, this time in the sixth inning as L. Thompson blasted her first career long ball.
L. Thompson earned the win in the circle to move to 2-1. She tossed the first four innings as she struck out seven batters and allowed just three hits. Meanwhile, Williams pitched the final three innings to preserve the shutout and earn the save.
The Thompson sisters combined to go 4-for-7 at the top of the order and drove in two runs apiece. Senior utility
Kylie Kent also notched two hits.
Game 2: Concord 3 – Hillsdale 2
CU was able to hold off the Chargers in the seventh inning as it started 2-0 during its spring break trip.
A pitching duel between Concord's sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Cartney Schoolcraft and HC's Julia Sayles broke out early as neither team scored in the first four innings.
After a Chargers pitching change to start the fifth, the Mountain Lions put the first three runners on in the frame. L. Thompson drew a bases loaded walk to bring in Kent. During the next at-bat, sophomore outfielder
Dani Bloomingdale raced home on a wild pitch.
Schoolcraft kept the 2-0 advantage until she received another run of support in the top of the seventh by way of a Hillsdale error that allowed L. Thompson to score.
Three of batters reached to start the bottom of the seventh for HC, and a sacrifice fly cut CU's lead to 3-2. However, Schoolcraft got a flyout to left field to end the game.
Schoolcraft scattered seven hits and two runs while fanning six in her win. She improved 2-2.
Kent had a second two-hit game on Saturday by going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
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