ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team bounced back from a 7-0 defeat by West Virginia Wesleyan and earned a split, winning 2-1 in game two, Saturday afternoon in a pair of Mountain East Conference games at the CU Softball Field.
Game 1: West Virginia Wesleyan 7 – Concord 0
The Bobcats (9-11, 2-4 MEC) used three home runs in the first two innings to take game on  over CU (14-9, 4-2 MEC).
Wesleyan jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings.
It appeared the Mountain Lions may cut into the deficit in the fourth inning as they loaded the bases with one out, but WVWC's Hannah Hudson preserved the shutout as she induced a 1-2-3 double play to end the Concord threat.
The leadoff batters reached in both the fifth and seventh innings, but CU was unable to plate any runs.
Junior pitcher/outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick tossed 5.1 innings of relief as she yielded just one run on six scattered hits. Freshman pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson (4-4) was charged with the loss in 1.2 innings.
Junior utility
Jenna Witt had two hits.
Game 2: Concord 2 – West Virginia Wesleyan 1
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Cartney Schoolcraft limited the Bobcats to one unearned run on four hits for her third straight complete game in the nightcap.
Concord's offense was able to give the Winfield, West Virginia native some early run support as three straight batters reacedh with two outs in the first inning. After Witt drew a walk, she came into score on senior utility
Kylie Kent's single down the left field line to get CU on the board.
The 1-0 edge held up until the bottom of the fourth when junior utility
Amber Stokes beat out an infield single with one out and later scored on a Wesleyan error.
WVWC answered CU's run with a manufactured run in the top of the fifth. Ciana Bowen drew a leadoff walk, and sacrifice fly by Brooke Clark plated Paije Bragg, who was running for Bowen, to draw Wesleyan to within one.
Schoolcraft walked a batter in each of the final two innings, but did not allow a runner past second base as Concord held on 2-1.
Schoolcraft moved to 6-2 on the season as she struck out seven batters in seven innings of work. She tossed a season-high 146 pitches.
All four of the CU hits were singles with Kent adding an RBI.
The Mountain Lions conclude their homestand when they host Glenville State 12:00 p.m. Sunday.
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