ATHENS, W.Va. – The Concord University softball team split its final non-conference doubleheader of the season as it defeated Salem 2-0 in game one before falling by the same score in the second game Sunday afternoon at the CU Softball Field.
Game 1: Concord 2 – Salem 0
CU's offense was able to manufacture a pair of runs despite not getting a hit in the game.
The first run of the game came in the first inning. Junior infielder
Kendall Morgan drew a leadoff walk, stole second base and got to third on a wild pitch. Later in the frame, she scored on an RBI groundout by freshman catcher/infielder
Hannah Niten.
Still holding a 1-0 lead, thanks in part to some dazzling pitching from sophomore pitcher/outfielder
Reghan Hintz, Concord (21-23) provided some insurance in the bottom of the sixth.
Senior catcher
Kayla Sholter drew one of eight walks in the game for the Mountain Lions before being lifted for pinch runner, freshman utility
Mykah Gregory. Gregory got to second base on a sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners after another walk, Gregory raced home on a wild pitch.
In the circle, Hintz tossed her third shutout of the season as she allowed four hits. She worked around a leadoff double and a proceeding bunt in the second inning as Niten threw out a base runner before Hintz recorded back-to-back strikeouts.
Hintz sat down seven straight and 11 of 13 batters from the second until a leadoff single in the sixth. She successfully got around the traffic in the sixth, and retired the side in order to end the game in the seventh. Hintz improved to 7-13 on the year as she tallied nine strikeouts, one off her career high.
Sholter was on base three times, all walks.
Game 2: Salem 2 – Concord 0
The second game turned into another game that had limited offense.
Salem (15-30) drew a bases-loaded walk in the second inning for the first run of the game before launching a solo home run in the top of the seventh inning.
The best chance for CU came in the bottom of the sixth inning as senior pitcher/infielder
Madison Hollis connected on a double to left center field with one out. Niten followed with a walk, but the Tigers escaped with an inning-ending double play.
The Mountain Lions also brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh after freshman outfielder
Grace Dodson reached on a two-out infield single.
Hollis bagged her eighth double of the year. Dodson and Morgan both had a hit in the contest.
Junior pitcher
Josi Ervin (1-2) was the pitcher of record after tossing the first two innings of the game. Hollis came in to fire five innings of relief. She allowed one run on five hits to go with two strikeouts.
Concord hosts its final home regular-season doubleheader 1:00 p.m. as it welcomes Point Park.
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