CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The Concord University softball team swept a doubleheader from Belmont Abbey Saturday afternoon in non-conference action at Christiansburg High School.
The Mountain Lions (3-3) did not trail in either game as they won 3-1 and 4-3.
Game 1: Concord 3 – Belmont Abbey 1
CU pieced together a two-out rally in the fifth inning for all three of its runs while sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Reghan Hintz turned in a gem of a pitching performance.
Both pitchers, Hintz and Belmont Abbey's Sienna Garcia, were locked in from the start as Concord only had one hit through its first four at-bats, a leadoff double from junior infielder
Kendall Morgan to start the game, and Hintz did not allow a hit until the fourth inning.
After two quick outs in the fifth inning, freshman outfielder
Grace Dodson reached on an infield single. Morgan followed her with her second hit in the game to keep the rally alive. Then, sophomore utility
Blake Jamerson stepped and brought in both runners as she drove a double to the left center field gap. Senior outfielder
Alina Giles roped her own double after Jamerson to the same left center gap to take the lead to 3-0.
BAC (2-4) got a leadoff home run in the top of the sixth, but Hintz recorded two of her career-high nine strikeouts to get through the rest of the inning.
Belmont Abbey brought the tying run to the plate after a leadoff single in the seventh, but again Hintz responded by retiring the next three batters she faced.
Hintz (1-2) went the distance in her first career complete game as she scattered four hits and one run. She tossed 106 pitches as she had the most strikeouts for a Concord pitcher since junior pitcher
Josi Ervin two years ago against Virginia Union.
Morgan was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Jamerson drove in two runs, and Giles was 1-for-3 with an RBI and her team-best third double of the early season.
Game 2: Concord 4 – Belmont Abbey 3
The Mountain Lions scored three of their four runs in the first inning before having to hold off a seventh-inning rally by Belmont Abbey.
Morgan began the first inning with a leadoff single before she scored on Giles' triple two batters later. Now with runners on the corners, Giles scored on a double steal with senior infielder
Lacie Lewis to double the CU advantage. Concord drew two more walks in the inning, and one of those by freshman catcher
Hannah Niten touched home on a two-out infield single by senior pitcher/infielder
Madison Hollis.
Leading 3-1 into the bottom of the fifth inning, Concord restored a three-run lead after senior outfielder
Morgan Gleason drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk that allowed Morgan to score after her leadoff hit earlier in the frame.
Hollis was in control for the first six innings in the circle before having to work out of trouble to secure the sweep in the seventh.
Belmont Abbey used back-to-back run-scoring hits with two outs to climb within 4-3. Consecutive walks followed to load the bases, but Hollis induced a ground ball to second base to leave the bases loaded and get Concord a one-run victory.
Hollis (2-1) tossed her second straight complete game as she scattered eight hits and thee runs (two earned). She struck out three batters.
Morgan finished the doubleheader 5-for-7 after a 3-for-4 effort in game two. Gleason, Jamerson and Lewis all drew two walks in the contest as the Mountain Lions took seven walks as a team.
Giles was 1-for-3 with an RBI and her third career triple.
The Mountain Lions are slated to host UVa.-Wise 2:00 p.m. Wednesday in a doubleheader in Athens.
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