ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team fell in a pair of one-run games to West Liberty, 2-1 and 5-4, Sunday afternoon at the CU Softball Field in Mountain East Conference action.
Game 1: West Liberty 2 – Concord 1
The Hilltoppers (15-9, 11-5 MEC) scored both runs in the top of the seventh to snatch game one from CU (10-16, 8-10 MEC).
The early innings turned into a pitching duel between junior pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson and WLU's Annie Patterson.
Thompson loaded the bases in the first inning with one out, but escaped the jam with a pop up and a strikeout. From there, she only allowed one runner past first base from the second to sixth innings.
Back-to-back hits in the third inning, including the 60
th career double from senior utility
Jenna Witt, put runners at second and third, but Concord was unable to crack Patterson for a score.
It was Thompson in the fifth inning that solved the West Liberty starter as she blasted a 3-2 pitch out to right field for her first home run of the season to give CU a 1-0 lead. The Mountain Lions loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but could not add any insurance to start the seventh.
The Hilltoppers scored the tying run on a double, and a fielding error later in the inning allowing WLU to go up by a run. Thompson drew a one-out walk in the seventh, but was stranded at second when the game ended.
Thompson (4-7) tossed a complete game as she struck out seven and scattered six hits, giving up one earned run. WLU's Patterson struck out 11 in 5.1 innings.
Senior outfielder
Dani Bloomingdale and Thompson each had two hits.
Game 2: West Liberty 5 – Concord 4 (Nine Innings)
A 4-0 lead slipped away from Concord in the sixth inning as WLU scored the go-ahead run in the ninth.
Three straight batters reached base to start bottom of the first as Witt plated Thompson with an RBI single to push CU up 1-0 early.
Senior outfielder/pitcher
Darby Fitzpatrick added to Concord's lead in the third inning with her first home run of the season, a three-run shot out to right field to give the Mountain Lions a 4-0 advantage.
Senior pitcher/outfielder
Cartney Schoolcraft held down West Liberty early in the game as she did not allow a hit until a leadoff single in the fifth.
Still up 4-0 in the top of the sixth, the first four batters reached for WLU that started a four-run frame as it came back to tie the game.
West Liberty posed a scoring threat in the eighth inning as back-to-back singles started the inning, but Schoolcraft got a pop up in foul territory and consecutive strikeouts to end the rally. CU moved Fitzpatrick to third base with two outs, but could not scratch across a run in the bottom half.
In the ninth, West Liberty recorded consecutive one-out singles and then a throwing error on a stolen base attempt allowed the go-ahead run to score.
CU had an answer in the bottom of the ninth. Singles from junior third baseman/outfielder
Sarah Thompson and Witt with two outs moved the tying run into scoring position, and a hit by pitch to sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Josie Brewer loaded the bases.
However, a deep fly ball to right field ended the game.
S. Thompson and Witt each had two hits in the nightcap. Fitzpatrick drove in three with the home run.
Schoolcraft (3-6) tossed all nine innings as she gave up three earned runs and struck out a season-best nine.
CU travels to Frostburg State 1:00 p.m. Saturday.
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