DUE WEST, S.C. – The Concord University softball team lost a doubleheader to Erskine, 3-1 and 7-3, Thursday afternoon in non-conference play at the Fleet Softball Complex.
Game 1: Erskine 3 – Concord 1
A pitching duel broke out between Concord (0-6) junior pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson and Erskine's Hannah Houge in the first game, but it was EC (6-2) that plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Thompson got out of an early jam as she stranded two runners in scoring position in the first inning. The Prince George, Virginia native notched three of her five strikeouts for the game over the first two innings.
The Mountain Lions threatened in the fourth inning as they were able to get two runners aboard with just one out, but Houge kept the game scoreless.
Thompson recorded two more strikeouts in the bottom of the fourth as she sat down the Fleet in order, and Houge was able to do the same in the top of the fifth before Erskine struck for three runs in the bottom half.
CU mounted its own rally in the sixth inning after Thompson drew a leadoff walk, and scored on a two-out single from senior utility
Jenna Witt, but it was as close as Concord would get for the remainder of the game.
Witt collected her first three-hit game of the season by going 3-of-3. Thompson allowed three hits and three runs with five strikeouts in the circle.
Game 2: Erskine 7 – Concord 3
A four-run third inning by the Fleet was too much for Concord to overcome in the nightcap.
Erskine plated two runs in the first inning before the four-run frame to build a 6-0 lead.
However, the Mountain Lions were unimpressed by the EC margin, scoring two runs in the top of the fourth. Sophomore catcher/outfielder
Jolie Privett led off the frame with a double, and scored two batters later on the first home run of the season by senior catcher/third baseman
Lauren Richardson.
CU was able to get a runner into scoring position in each of its next two at-bats, but did not score until the seventh inning. Senior catcher/utility
Kaitlyn Stewart singled to start the seventh-inning rally and scored on a double by Thompson.
However, Houge who took over in the circle in the third inning of game two kept Concord from scoring more.
Senior pitcher/outfielder
Darby Fitzpatrick and Thompson each had two hits in the game with both of Thompson's going for doubles. Richardson drove in two runs.
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Josie Brewer struck out six over six innings.
Concord is scheduled to be off until March 10 when it welcomes Salem for the home opener.
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