ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team dropped both its games to Charleston in Saturday's Mountain East Conference doubleheader held at CU Softball Field.
Game 1: Charleston 3 – Concord 1
Concord (6-14, 0-2 MEC) managed to plate a run in the seventh, but the three runs that the Golden Eagles (8-8, 2-0 MEC) scored was too large of a deficit to overcome.
A solo home run in the second inning and a two-run home run in the top of the third frame gave Charleston a 3-0 lead early in the contest.
Concord had a chance to strike in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior third baseman/outfielder
Sarah Thompson singled into right field and advanced to second base on a throwing error into the infield. S. Thompson ended up advancing to third on a groundout, but the Mountain Lions were unable to drive her in to score.Â
In the bottom of the seventh, freshman pitcher/infielder
Rachael Koller tripled to right field with one out. Freshman shortstop/second baseman
Kayla McCraw came into pinch run for Koller. McCraw was able to score on a wild pitch, but Charleston limited the damage to one run and held on to win.
 Koller, S. Thompson, and freshman third baseman
Kylee Stacy each had a hit in the ballgame.
In the pitcher's circle,
Caitlyn Bauer (3-6) was handed the loss. Bauer went the distance, allowing four hits, three earned runs and striking out five batters.
Game 2: Charleston 3 – Concord 2
Concord and Charleston traded blows the entire game, but a score in the top of the tenth inning gave UC the advantage to hold on and win.
Down 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, senior pitcher/outfielder
Laura Thompson hit a one-out double to right center field. Two batters later, junior catcher/outfielder
Jolie Privett singled to plate L. Thompson and tie the game.
Tied 2-2 in the eighth inning, L. Thompson led off the inning with a single to center field. A walk put S. Thompson on for Privett to advance the Thompson twins one base each on a sacrifice bunt. The Golden Eagles worked their way out of the jam, stranding the two runners in scoring position.
After a clean top of the inning, the Mountain Lions started a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back singles from freshman second baseman/outfielder
Aubrey Matice and Stacy. L. Thompson was intentionally walked to bring up S. Thompson. The Prince George, Virginia native sent a pitch into play, but it was hit directly at the center fielder for the third out of the inning.
UC scored a run in the top of the tenth inning to give the Golden Eagles a 3-2 lead.
With S. Thompson starting the frame as the runner at second, Privett laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the tying run to third base. Charleston collected the last two outs to hold on.
Offensively, L. Thompson batted 4-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. Privett tallied two RBI in the contest.
Koller (3-6) was the losing pitcher in a complete-game effort. The Columbus, Ohio native struck out four batters and allowed two earned runs.
Concord will return to action Sunday in a home doubleheader against MEC foe West Virginia State at 2:00 p.m.
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