Athens, W.Va.- The Concord University softball team split a Mountain East Conference doubleheader with West Virginia State, losing 8-5 and winning 5-0, Saturday afternoon at the CU Softball Field.
Game 1: West Virginia State 8 – Concord 5
After West Virginia State (11-13, 5-6 MEC) came out in the first and scored two runs, CU (11-22, 2-10 MEC) had an answer of its own when sophomore outfielder
Kylee Stacy was hit by a pitch. Stacy was able to steal second and score on the same play after errors by the West Virginia State defense to make the score 2-1.
Going into the bottom of the third with Concord trailing by two, senior infielder
Sarah Thompson walked and later scored on a two-run homer by sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Rachael Koller to tie the game 3-3.
West Virginia State jumped back out in front 6-3 in the top of the fifth inning. But CU didn't go quietly in the bottom half, Thompson had a leadoff walk and a stolen base putting her in scoring position for Koller to double into left field scoring Thompson.
CU had one more chance in the bottom of the seventh down four runs. With one out, Koller singled up the middle and advanced to second on an error by the center fielder. Sophomore infielder
Courtney Raines added to the run total by singling in Koller to take the lead down to three. The next two Concord batters were putout to end the game.
Sophomore pitcher
Caitlyn Bauer (2-7) got the honors of starting her 11
th game of the season inside the circle for the Maroon and Gray. Bauer had four strikeouts through five innings until she was relieved by Koller who finished the last two innings with two strikeouts.
Koller ended the game a triple shy of the cycle and tallied three RBI. Freshman catcher
Lorelai Ellerby and Raines had two hits each. Both of Ellerby's hits were for extra bases.
Freshman infielder
Lacie Lewis and Thompson ended the game with a hit each.
Game 2: Concord 5 – West Virginia State 0
The Mountain Lions came out hot in game two scoring four of their five runs in the first inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Raines singled into right center scoring the first two runs of the game. A throwing error by the catcher allowed Koller to come in to make it a 3-0 ball game.
After the error, freshman infielder
Morgan Cline singled up the middle scoring Raines to increase the lead to 4-0.
The run support was more than enough for junior pitcher
Nancy-Jo Roberts (6-11) who threw her 12
th complete game and third shutout of the season. Roberts only gave up one hit throughout the entirety of the game. Her one-hitter, was the first in program history since Bauer on March 11, 2022. Roberts had one strikeout in the game and walked one batter. Roberts retired 14 of the first 16 batters she faced before a leadoff single in the fifth, the lone hit she surrendered.
Concord added a run in the fourth. With one out, Lewis doubled into center field and advanced to third on a passed ball. Two batters later, Lewis was able to score on Koller's sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 5-0.
Stacy and Lewis both ended the game with a pair of hits. Raines drove in two runs.
CU hosts Charleston 1:00 pm Sunday in a conference doubleheader.
