Concord Goes 1-1 Against Emory & Henry

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team split its non-conference doubleheader to Emory & Henry Wednesday afternoon at the CU Softball Field.

Game 1: Concord 3 – Emory & Henry 1
Concord (7-21) used two runs in the bottom of the first inning, while only surrendering three hits in the game to hold off Emory & Henry (22-11).

Tied 0-0 in the bottom of the first, CU got things started with a leadoff single from senior pitcher/outfielder Laura Thompson. Freshman third baseman Kylee Stacy legged out an infield single. Junior catcher/outfielder Jolie Privett laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners up one base and into scoring position. Thompson went on to score on a groundout, while Stacy scored on an RBI single from freshman shortstop/utility player Courtney Raines.  

The Wasps scored a run in the top of the second inning to make it a 2-1 game. Concord responded in the bottom of the third inning with a solo home run hit by Laura Thompson over the right field fence.

Freshman pitcher/first baseman Caitlyn Bauer faced just two over the minimum through five innings. In the sixth, she stranded the tying run to keep Concord's advantage at 3-1 before facing the minimum again in the seventh to secure the win.  

Offensively, Thompson, Stacy, and Privett all finished with two hits each. Senior third baseman/outfielder Sarah Thompson, L. Thompson, and Raines drove in one RBI each.

Bauer (4-9) went the distance to earn the win in the pitching circle. She fanned seven batters while allowing three hits and one earned run.

Game 2: Emory & Henry 8 - Concord 5
Despite a 5-3 Concord lead late in the game, Emory & Henry plated five runs in the top of the seventh to complete the comeback over the Mountain Lions.

Down 2-0 in the bottom of the first, L. Thompson singled on a bunt down the third baseline. She then came around to score from first on a Privett RBI single to cut the deficit in half.

In the bottom of the third inning and down 3-1, CU hit four straight singles to help tie the game. Three straight singles from fifth-year senior outfielder Hanna Hylton, Matice, and L. Thompson loaded the bases. Two runners scored on an RBI single from Stacy, while L. Thompson advanced to third base on the play. The Prince George, Virginia native scored on a fielder's choice and gave Concord a 4-3 lead.

Concord added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman utility player Delaney Fulk led off the inning with a single and stole second. A sacrifice bunt from Matice moved Fulk up to third where a sacrifice fly hit by L. Thompson allowed Fulk to score and push the Concord lead to 5-3.

L. Thompson and Matice finished the ball game with two hits each. Stacy tallied two RBI in the contest.

Freshman pitcher/infielder Rachael Koller (3-10) was the losing pitcher in a complete game effort, striking out a career-high tying 10 batters.

Concord travels to Institute, West Virginia Saturday at 1:00 p.m. to face West Virginia State in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader.