ELKINS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team won game one at Davis & Elkins 6-1 before falling in the nightcap 3-2 in a Mountain East Conference doubleheader at Joni Smith Field Saturday afternoon.
Game 1: Concord 6 – Davis & Elkins 1
CU pounded out a season-best 17 hits and broke open a 1-1 tie in the third inning.
Both teams tallied a run in the second inning before the Concord (20-33, 11-21 MEC) bats got busy in the third. Three of the first four batters reached to ignite the rally. Sophomore infielder
Courtney Raines scored a pair of runs with a double into left field to push CU ahead 3-1.
The lead was extended by a run in the fifth as sophomore outfielder/pitcher
Rachael Koller led off the frame with her team-best fifth home run of the year.
With a comfortable cushion, Koller (5-8) retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced, including the last eight in a row to keep the Senators (26-24, 20-12 MEC) quiet at the plate. Koller ended up with three strikeouts and no walks over seven innings as she scattered seven hits and a run.
CU tacked on two more runs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Raines, her third RBI, and a run-scoring single by sophomore outfielder
Kayla McCraw.
Sophomore utility
Kylee Stacy drove in the game's first run with an RBI double in the second. It was part of a 3-for-5 afternoon for Stacy. Raines was 3-for-4 to go with her three RBI. Koller, McCraw, freshman catcher
Morgan Gleason and freshman infielder
Morgan Cline all had two hits.
Game 2: Davis & Elkins 3 – Concord 2 (Eight Innings)
A walk-off solo home run in the bottom of the eighth by Davis & Elkins was the difference in the game.
CU struck first again in the second on a sacrifice fly from freshman catcher
Lorelai Ellerby which scored Koller after her leadoff double.
Junior pitcher
Nancy-Jo Roberts kept D&E off the board until the bottom of the third when four straight runners reached to begin the inning, allowing the Senators to go up 2-1.
The deficit remained a run for the Maroon and Gray until their final at-bat in the seventh. A leadoff walk to Ellerby and a single by Raines put the go-ahead run on base. A bunt and subsequent error allowed Ellerby to race in from second to tie the game. However, Davis & Elkins made sure the game stayed tied by getting three straight outs.
Concord threatened in the top of the eighth with a walk to Koller and a Gleason single with two outs.
D&E's Honesty Holt won the game in the bottom of the eighth with a one-out home run.
No CU player had two hits in the game as seven different players accounted for hits. Koller was on base three times, going 1-for-3 with two walks.
Roberts (11-15) tossed 7.1 innings, giving up three runs while striking out three.
Saturday were the final games in the career of graduate infielder
Sarah Thompson and graduate catcher/outfielder
Mikayah Pulliam. Â
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