CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team won both games on Friday at the UC Softball Field, defeating Edinboro, 1-0, and Shepherd, 7-2.
The Mountain Lions improve to 5-3 on the season.
Game 1: Concord 1 – Edinboro 0
A two-out RBI double from senior infielder
Lacie Lewis in the first inning gave Concord the lead, and senior pitcher/infielder
Madison Hollis shutout Edinboro the rest of the way. Â
Junior infielder
Kendall Morgan led off the game with a base hit and stole second during the next at-bat. She remained on second until Lewis roped a ground-rule double to left center field to bring in Morgan.
Hollis stranded a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the inning which started a string of the McMinnville, Tennessee native retiring 10 of the next 11 batters she faced. Hollis was able to work around a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Mountain Lions had a chance to extend the lead in the top of the sixth after a leadoff double from sophomore utility
Blake Jamerson, but she was stranded at third base to end the threat.
Hollis allowed a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth, but during the next at-bat got the lead runner out on a fielder's choice. And she finished off her second complete game shutout of the season by retiring the Fighting Scots in order in the seventh.
Hollis (3-1) only needed 84 pitches to blank Edinboro as she scattered five hits and struck out four. She walked one batter.
Senior catcher/utility Kayle Sholter went 2-for-3 at the plate. Lewis finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and her third double of the year.
Game 2: Concord 7 – Shepherd 2
The Mountain Lions opened up a 3-0 lead through 2.5 innings before extending the advantage late in a five-run victory.
Back-to-back errors to open the second allowed Lewis to cross home for the game's first run.
Freshman catcher/outfielder
Hannah Niten walked to lead off the third and got to second on a passed ball. The next batter, sophomore utility
Kristy McCord, brought in Niten with an RBI single. Two batters later, McCord raced home on an RBI groundout.
Shepherd cut the lead to one after a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.
However, senior outfielder
Alina Giles restored a two-run edge as she led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run.
After allowing the home run, freshman pitcher/outfielder
Reghan Hintz settled in and retired seven of the next eight batters until a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth. Five of the seven outs came via the strikeout.
With Hintz controlling the Rams' offense, the two-run lead was enough. But, the Mountain Lions tacked on three runs in the top of the seventh. CU loaded the bases to begin the frame. A wild pitch brought in junior outfielder
Savannah Brehm who was pinch running for Niten. A walk reloaded the bases before an RBI groundout scored McCord, and Lewis plated Morgan on an RBI single.
Lewis was 2-for-4 with an RBI. The only extra-base hit was Giles' first home run of the year. McCord was 1-for-2 with two runs scored.
Hintz (2-2) tied her career high with nine strikeouts. She allowed two runs on four hits in her complete-game performance.
The Mountain Lions will line up against Edinboro and Shepherd again on Saturday at the University of Charleston. The first game is slated for 12:30 p.m.
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