Concord Starts Long Homestand Versus West Virginia State, Charleston

Concord Stats - Charleston Stats - West Virginia State Stats - Live Stats - Live Video

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team begins a season-long, 10-game homestand when it hosts West Virginia State 2:00 p.m. Saturday and Charleston 1:00 p.m. Sunday for two Mountain East Conference doubleheaders.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics and live video of all four games.

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY vs. West Virginia State: WVSU leads 40-28
SERIES HISTORY vs. Charleston: UC leads 49-24

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VERSUS WEST VIRGINIA STATE
March 16, 2023: West Virginia State 2 – Concord 0 (L, 8-7 (8) L, 2-1) (Institute, W.Va.)
April 2, 2022: West Virginia State 2 – Concord 0 (L, 6-5 L, 4-3) (Institute, W.Va.)
March 20, 2022: West Virginia State 2 – Concord 0 (L, 4-3 L, 9-1) (Athens, W.Va.)
April 5, 2021: West Virginia State 2 – Concord 0 (L, 9-1 L, 7-5) (Athens, W.Va.)
March 21, 2021: West Virginia State 2 – Concord 0 (L, 4-3 L, 3-0) (Institute, W.Va.)

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VERSUS CHARLESTON
March 18, 2023: Charleston 2 – Concord 0 (L, 8-6 L, 5-3) (Charleston, W.Va.)
April 3, 2022: Concord 1 – Charleston 1 (W, 12-1 L, 9-7) (Charleston, W.Va.)
March 19, 2022: Charleston 2 – Concord 0 (L, 3-2 (10) L, 3-1) (Athens, W.Va.)
April 3, 2021: Charleston 2 – Concord 0 (L, 4-3 L, 10-6) (Athens, W.Va.)
March 20, 2021: Concord 1 – Charleston 1 (L, 6-3 W, 4-3) (Charleston, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 10-21
MEC Record: 1-9
Home Record: 8-8
Away Record 2-10
Neutral Record: 0-3

THE TREND CONTINUES
Since giving up a combined 13 runs in a doubleheader at Charleston March 18, CU pitching has been locked in over the last eight games as it has surrendered three runs or less in seven of the last eight contests. Over her last four starts, sophomore pitcher Caitlyn Bauer has tossed a complete three times and has recorded two shutouts with blankings of Emory & Henry and Davis & Elkins. On Wednesday at Glenville State, Bauer gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth as CU lost 1-0. Sophomore pitcher Nancy-Jo Roberts has been equally as strong with allowing seven runs over her last 25 innings, an ERA of 1.96. Both Bauer and Roberts have an MEC ERA of 3.4 or less with Bauer notching 27 strikeouts in 27 innings in conference play.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
Concord and West Virginia State have made a habit of playing close games with five straight games being decided by one run, and seven of the last eight games coming down to a three-run difference. However, all of those games have gone to WVSU with the Mountain Lions after their first win over the Yellow Jackets since the 2019 MEC Tournament. On March 16, Roberts was outdueled by WVSU's Kasey Murphy in a 2-1 victory for West Virginia State. In game two, CU's offense outhit WVSU, 9-7, but a walkoff single in the bottom of the eighth gave West Virginia State an 8-7 victory. Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Rachael Koller had two hits and two walks in the game. The first three hitters in the CU order of sophomore utility Kylee Stacy, freshman infielder Lacie Lewis and graduate outfielder Sarah Thompson combined to go 5-for-12 with five runs scored.

YOUNG GUNS
Concord's freshmen were at the forefront of the offense in a couple of close games at Charleston March 18—two UC wins, 5-3 and 8-6. In the first game, freshman catcher/outfielder Morgan Gleason tallied her only multi-RBI game to-date with a bases-clearing double. In game two, CU was unable to hang onto a 6-2 advantage. Freshman first baseman Morgan Cline and freshman catcher Lorelai Ellerby both had two hits as did Koller and Stacy. Ellerby and Koller both had two RBI. In nine conference games, Ellerby has a .350 average (7-for-20). Gleason is hitting .316 in MEC play (6-for-19) as she has seen action in seven league contests.

WEST VIRGINIA STATE AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 10-12
MEC Record: 4-5
Home Record: 5-2
Away Record: 2-6
Neutral Record: 3-4

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Kasey Murphy was named to the NFCA Player & Pitcher of the Year Watch List earlier this week. She is hitting .414 with six home runs and 28 RBI while collecting 38 strikeouts in 53 innings in the circle. West Virginia State has lost three straight games entering Saturday, and had its last game versus Charleston suspended on Wednesday due to darkness. Emma Pauley and Emma Ruth are both hitting .394 this season have combined for 30 RBI.

CHARLESTON AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 14-4
MEC Record: 8-1
Home Record: 4-0
Away Record: 9-4
Neutral Record: 1-0

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Charleston leads the MEC in batting average (.352) and is third in team ERA (2.71). Brianna McCown is second in the conference in strikeouts (87) and is 8-2 in the circle. Hannah Rose is hitting a scalding .525 with 12 extra-base hits. Allysa Lake (.443) and Isabella Andujar (.420) also hit above .400. Andujar's 27 RBI ranks fifth in the conference. Charleston has scored eight or more runs in six of its nine conference games.