ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team prepares to play eight games in four days in Florida during its spring break trip as action gets underway 4:00 p.m. Saturday.
FLORIDA GAME SCHEDULE
4:00 p.m. Saturday – Concord vs. Upper Iowa
6:15 p.m. Saturday – Concord vs. Indianapolis
10:15 a.m. Sunday – Concord vs. Malone
12:30 p.m. Sunday – Concord vs. West Chester
2:45 p.m. Monday – Concord vs. Augustana
5:00 p.m. Monday – Concord vs. Minnesota-Mankato
10:00 a.m. Tuesday – Concord vs. Bemidji State
12:15 p.m. Tuesday – Concord vs. Post
CLOSE CALLS
The Mountain Lions improved to 5-2-1 on the season by defeating Salem in two games to open up the home schedule February 25 as CU won 4-3 and 3-2. Of the eight games Concord has played this season, seven have decided by two runs or less, including a 4-4 tie with Lander in mid-February. Last season, the Maroon and Gray played in 21 games that were decided by two runs or less. In the doubleheader sweep of Salem, pitching keyed CU as freshman pitcher/outfielder
Josie Brewer, sophomore pitcher
Tori Hanes, junior pitcher/outfielder
Cartney Schoolcraft and sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson combined for 15 strikeouts across the two games.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
With eight strikeouts in three innings of relief, Schoolcraft moved to within 10 strikeouts of 200 for her career at Concord—in just 37 appearances and 168.1 innings. The Winfield, West Virginia native would be the sixth player in program history to achieve the feat. At the plate, senior utility
Jenna Witt is closing in on 200 career hits as she needs two to reach the milestone. Against Salem, Witt became the seventh player in program history with 100 career RBI, and would be the fourth in CU history with 200 career hits.
SUNSHINE ALL DAY LONG
Saturday begins the second straight season that Concord plays in Florida. Last year, the Maroon and Gray went 5-3 in the Sunshine State including winning their first four games. Over the spring break trip, Thompson batted .473 (9-for-19) that included her first career home run against Nyack. Witt had a hit in all eight games that was part of an 18-game hitting streak as she batted .366 (11-for-30). Senior pitcher/outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick hit .350 in the eight-game stretch while sophomore third baseman/outfielder
Sarah Thompson batted .333 (8-for-24) with a team-best six RBI.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
CU plays two ranked teams in Florida when it squares off with Augustana and Indianapolis. Augustana is the defending national champion and just re-assumed the top spot in the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association (NFCA) Division II Poll. Meanwhile, Indianapolis is 16th in the NFCA Division II Poll. And while it isn't ranked or receiving votes, West Chester is the defending Atlantic Regional Champions from the 2019 season.
OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE
Though Augustana, West Chester and Indianapolis are the headlining opponents for the Mountain Lions in Florida, both Minnesota-Mankato and Bemidji State have played have played 10 games. MSU-Mankato is 7-3 this season while the Beavers are 6-4 through 10 contests. Augustana is 8-2 while Indianapolis is 8-3.
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