ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team dropped a pair of games to Charleston at the CU Softball Field Saturday afternoon in Mountain East Conference action.
Game 1: Charleston 10 – Concord 6
The Golden Eagles (14-4, 7-1 MEC) erased an early 2-0 lead from Concord (7-11, 5-5 MEC) as a late rally came up short for CU. Â
Senior outfielder/pitcher
Darby Fitzpatrick and junior third baseman/outfielder
Sarah Thompson both drove in runs in a two-run first inning for the Mountain Lions.
Concord's advantage only held up for a half inning as UC took a 3-2 lead on its way to a 10-2 advantage.
However, CU battled back as senior catcher/utility
Kaitlyn Stewart brought home Fitzpatrick with a two-out double in the sixth inning. The Mountain Lions plated three runs in the seventh with Fitzpatrick, junior pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson and S. Thompson accounting for the RBI.
Concord recorded 11 hits with senior outfielder
Dani Bloomingdale, Fitzpatrick, Stewart and S. Thompson all notching two hits. L. Thompson had three hits and scored twice.
L. Thompson was also the pitcher of record in the game as she recorded six strikeouts over seven innings.
Game 2: Charleston 4 – Concord 3
Charleston was able to scratch across a run in the top of the seventh to edge the Mountain Lions.
L. Thompson led off the home half of the first inning with a double before racing home on a RBI single from senior utility
Jenna Witt to give CU an early 1-0 edge.
The Mountain Lions' lead doubled in the fourth inning as S. Thompson's single scored pinch runner and freshman outfielder
Imani Campbell.
Up 2-0, Concord's lead disappeared in the top of the fifth after UC scored three times.
CU was unable to score in the fifth inning, but Stewart recorded a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning to knot the game at 3-3.
With the bases loaded and one out, Concord threw out a runner at home to keep the game tied in the seventh. However, Charleston got a two-out hit during the next at-bat to take a 4-3 edge.
In the bottom of the seventh, Charleston's defense took away two hits from the Mountain Lions with stellar defensive plays. CU was able to get the tying run aboard with two outs, but UC's Morgan Hoppe flagged down a line drive in the left centerfield gap with a diving catch to end the game.
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Josie Brwer and Witt each had three hits in the nightcap as Brewer started in the circle. The Pulaksi, Virginia native allowed six hits and three runs over 5.1 innings. Senior pitcher/outfielder
Cartney Schoolcraft (2-3) was the pitcher of record in 1.2 innings of relief.
Bloomingdale and both Thompsons sisters all posted two hits in game two.
CU hosts West Virginia State 3:00 p.m. Monday for a conference twinbill.
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