NEWBERRY, S.C. – The Concord University softball team split a pair of games to open the season Saturday afternoon at Newberry's Smith Road Complex.
The Mountain Lions dropped the first game to Newberry 14-2 before rebounding to defeat Chowan 5-3 in the nightcap.
Game 1: Newberry 14 – Concord 2
The Mountain Lions tallied an early run to open the scoring, but four runs in the second and another six in the third was too much for CU to overcome.
A leadoff single to begin the game from senior outfielder/pitcher
Laura Thompson proved to be the game's first score as she came around after a Newberry passed ball with two outs in the top of the first.
The Wolves answered CU's score in the bottom of the first as Newberry scored 11 of the next 12 runs in the contest. The Mountain Lions got within 5-2 in the top of the third on an RBI single from freshman shortstop/utility
Courtney Raines that plated freshman outfielder
Kylee Stacy.
Thompson was tagged with the loss as she gave up nine runs in 2.1 innings, striking out three batters.
Game 2: Concord 5 – Chowan 3
CU scored five unanswered runs in the middle innings to erase an early 1-0 deficit before holding off the Hawks late in the contest.
The Mountain Lions evened the score in the top of the second as freshman utility
Delaney Fulk's double brought home Raines after her leadoff walk in the frame.
Concord kept the runs coming in a three-run third. Stacy and senior third baseman/outfielder
Sarah Thompson both reached with one out in the frame. With runners on the corners, Raines laid down a bunt to plate Stacy on a squeeze attempt. However, two more runs raced in on a throwing error by Chowan.
Raines and S. Thompson were in the middle of the scoring in the fifth as S. Thompson got to third base on a single and subsequent two-base error. Raines followed with a sacrifice fly.
Chowan cut Concord's lead in half with a two-run sixth, and loaded the bases in the seventh before freshman pitcher/infielder Rachael Koller got a swinging strikeout to end the game.
It was one of Koller's nine strikeouts on the day as she went the distance for her first collegiate win. She scattered eight hits and gave up one earned run.
Offensively, Raines and Thompson combined to go 4-for-6 from the third and fourth spots in the lineup. Raines had three RBI and Fulk was 3-for-3 at the bottom of the order. CU pounded out 11 hits in the victory.
The Mountain Lions face Chowan and Newberry again Sunday with first pitch at 11:00 a.m. against Chowan.
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