Concord softball drops season opening twinbill on the road

Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
·2 min read

Feb. 18—WINGATE, N.C. — The Concord University softball team dropped a doubleheader to Wingate Wednesday afternoon at the Wingate Softball Complex in non-conference action, losing the first game 12-9 and dropping the nightcap 6-2.

The Mountain Lions are 0-2 after the season's first two games. Wingate improves to 4-2 on the season.

Wingate scored five runs in the sixth inning to separate itself from CU in an opening game that was tight throughout.

Trailing 4-1 in the third inning, the Mountain Lions tied the contest via the long ball in back-to-back innings. Senior utility Jenna Witt smacked a two-run home run after a one-out single from junior pitcher/outfielder Laura Thompson to get within 4-3.

In the fourth inning, junior first baseman Tiara Peters sent a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to draw even with the Bulldogs.

After three runs in the bottom of the fourth from WU, Concord answered right back with two runs in the top of the fifth. Freshman utility Alyssa Bernardini scored on a sacrifice fly, and during the next at-bat Laura Thompson scored on a single from sophomore catcher/outfield Jolie Privett.

Up 7-6 on Concord, Wingate posted five runs in the sixth to go up by six. However, the Mountain Lions had rallied in the seventh.

Bernardini scored on a single from junior third baseman/outfielder Sarah Thompson, and two more runs, including Thompson, on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.

With the bases empty, senior outfielder/pitcher Darby Fitzpatrick and senior catcher/third baseman Lauren Richardson were able to reach base to bring the tying run to the plate, but WU escaped with the victory.

Privett and Witt each drove in two runs. Laura Thompson, who was the loser in the circle, tallied three hits.

In the second game, The Bulldogs scored five runs to jump out to an early advantage, and held off Concord throughout the remainder of the contest.

CU nearly scratched across the first run in the top of the first with two on base and two outs, but Wingate got out of the jam.

From the second through five innings, the Mountain Lions were only able to get one runner to second base as WU's Sydney Kale kept the Concord bats down after the offensive outburst in game one.

Privett and S. Thompson each had run-scoring hits in a two-run sixth inning.

Sarah Thompson had two hits in the nightcap while Laura Thompson finished the game 4-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored.

Senior pitcher/outfielder Cartney Schoolcraft tossed six innings with seven strikeouts, but was charge with the loss.

Concord travels to the Pioneer Classic Sunday afternoon in Greeneville, Tennessee.

to face Virginia.-Wise and Lees-McRae.