Athens, W. Va. - Behind strong starting pitching and timely hitting, the Concord University softball team swept Bluefield University, 4-0 and 3-2, Monday afternoon at the CU Softball Field.
CU improves to 4-9 while Bluefield is now 3-5.
Game 1: Concord 4 – Bluefield University 0
Sophomore pitcher
Nancy-Jo Roberts (3-5) stepped into the circle to start her seventh game of the year in the Maroon and Gray. Roberts tossing a complete-game shutout, leaving four Bluefield runners stranded throughout the game and dealing a career high in strikeouts with eight. Roberts only allowed three hits while walking one batter through her seven innings of work.
With the game scoreless going into the bottom of the fourth inning, senior infielder
Sarah Thompson singled through the left side with two outs and was followed by a double into the left center gap by freshman infielder
Morgan Cline to take a 1-0 lead.
After a quick fifth and top of the sixth, the Mountain Lions picked back up where they left off scoring three more runs. Freshman infielder
Lacie Lewis started the inning with a double off the left field wall and was pinch ran for by sophomore outfielder
Kayla McCraw. Lewis's double was followed by a bunt single by sophomore utility
Kylee Stacy. Thompson continued her strong day with a single up the middle for the second time scoring both McCraw and Stacy making it a 3-0 game. Cline drove in Thompson for a fourth insurance run.
The four runs were more than enough for Roberts who started the game retiring the first nine batters she faced and 11 of the first 12.
Offensively, Thompson was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Cline tallied two RBI.
Game 2: Concord 3 – Bluefield University 2
McCraw had the decisive hit in the second game with a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
Concord came out of the gates strong in game two scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning after back-to-back two-out hits. Thompson continuing a phenomenal day at the plate with a double to left center field, followed by a single through the right side by Cline to score Thompson.
With the score still 1-0 going into the bottom of the third inning, Thompson homered to left field extending the lead to 2-0.
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Rachael Koller (1-2) got the start in the circle for game two, making it her seventh appearance, third start of the year. Koller threw a complete game while giving up two earned runs on four hits, walking one, and striking out eight Ram hitters.
In the top of the sixth, Bluefield University climbed back and tied the game at 2-2, but it was Concord who got the go-ahead run across the plate in the bottom half of the inning by way of a McCraw single up the middle to score Lewis who had reached on a fielder's choice.
After a double to lead off the top of the seventh for the Rams, Koller buckled down and got the next three batters out to end the game.
McCraw and Thompson paced the offense with two hits each as both had doubles. Cline, McCraw, and Thompson combined for the RBI.
CU continues its homestand 1:00 pm Tuesday against King.
Â
Â
