ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team swept a doubleheader from Glenville State Wednesday afternoon at the CU Softball Field in Mountain East Conference play, winning 5-3 and 8-0.
The Mountain Lions improve to 14-10 this season and 4-2 in the MEC. GSU is now 17-9 and also 4-2 in conference play.
Game 1: Concord 5 – Glenville State 3
Senior pitcher/infielder
Madison Hollis and freshman catcher/infielder
Hannah Niten each homered and Hollis held Glenville State's offense in check.
Hollis posted three straight zeros on the scoreboard as CU's starting pitcher before helping her own cause in the bottom of the third. Senior infielder
Lacie Lewis drew a two-out walk, and four pitches later Hollis hammered a 1-2 pitch out to left center field for her second home run of the season.
In the top of the fourth, Hollis stranded a pair of runners on base to maintain the two-run edge. Then, sophomore utility
Kristy McCord led off the bottom half with a walk. Two batters later, senior outfielder
Morgan Gleason was hit with a 2-2 pitch. It appeared GSU would get out of the inning after a second out in the frame, but Niten extended the frame with a three-run home run to left center field to push the lead to 5-0.
Hollis tossed a 1-2-3 fifth inning, and got consecutive fielder's choices to get out of the sixth inning.
The Pioneers mounted a rally in the seventh as they plated three runs, but Hollis induced a groundout to end the game.
Junior infielder
Kendall Morgan finished 2-for-4. Niten drove in three runs with her second homer of the year. Hollis added two RBI. In the circle, she pushed her record to 8-4. She gave up three runs and tied her season high with four strikeouts.
Game 2: Concord 8 – Glenville State 0 (Five Innings)
Seven runs in the fourth inning aided in the Mountain Lions completing the sweep of Glenville State.
CU was retired in order in the first three innings, but went to work in the fourth.
Morgan drew a leadoff walk, stole second and then scored on a bunt single from Lewis to plate the game's first run. Hollis kept the line moving by pushing Lewis to third base with a double to right field. The next two runs would score on one of two Glenville State errors in the inning. A sacrifice attempt by McCord resulted in Niten scoring after another GSU miscue in the field, taking the margin to 4-0.
The scoring continued in the inning when junior pitcher
Josi Ervin punched a single into center field to bring in McCord. Senior outfielder
Alina Giles touched home on Morgan's second at-bat of the inning, which was a line drive single to right field. And Lewis capped the seven-run fourth as she rolled a single through the middle of the infield, allowing Ervin to touch home.
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Reghan Hintz retired the Pioneers in order in the fifth, setting the stage for CU to end the game early in the bottom half.
Niten led off the frame with a walk before McCord reached on an error, and Gleason was hit to load the bases. Giles' ground ball to third was thrown home in an attempt to throw out the game-ending run, but sophomore utility
Blake Jamerson beat the throw to secure the mercy-run win.
Lewis was 2-for-3 in game two with two RBI. Hollis doubled in the win.
Hintz (5-6) won her third straight decision as she surrendered just two hits and collected two strikeouts in five innings of work.
The Mountain Lions host Davis & Elkins 1:00 p.m. Saturday at the CU Softball Field.
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