CU Softball Splits Pair at UNC-Pembroke Invite - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

CU Softball Splits Pair at UNC-Pembroke Invite

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PEMBROKE, N. C. -

The Concord University softball team split a doubleheader on the second day of the UNCP Invitational Saturday. California (Pa.) defeated Concord, 11-3, in the first game of the day before CU rallied and defeated the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, 6-3.

Game 1 Concord 3 - California University (Pa.) 11

Senior Becca Gleason led Concord, going 2-for-2 and scoring one run. Sophomore Karsyn Boothe, sophomore Lacey McDougal and junior Rachel Mack all recorded hits as well with McDougal accounting for Concord's lone RBI in the game. McDougall leads CU with 1.5 hits-per-game.

Mack (1-3) recorded the loss after only 1.1 innings in the circle, allowing five hits and five runs, four of which were earned. Senior Stephanie Harper, who had one strikeout, and McDougall finished the game for the Mountain Lions.

The Mountain Lions came out and scored two runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a leadoff single from Gleason and two critical errors from California. However, the Vulcans responded by scoring 11 runs in the first three innings, including a six-run third inning that proved too much for CU to overcome.

Concord loaded the bases in the top of the fifth and scored its third run of the game when McDougall snuck a single through the left side of the infield to score Boothe. However, California's Lindsey Reicoff (2-0) got out of the bases loaded jam by forcing Harper to ground out to third base, ending the game via the run rule, 11-3.


Game 2 Concord 6 - University of North Carolina-Pembroke 3

Concord busted their four-game losing streak thanks in part to a solid pitching performance from McDougal, who evened her record to 2-2 on the year. The sophomore scattered nine hits and struck out one batter while giving up just three runs, only one of which was earned, for the complete-game win.

Offensively, freshman Alyssa Morris found her stride again hitting a game-high two RBI with her two-run double in the third inning giving her 11 RBI in 8 games.

Also driving in one run each for Concord were Gleason, McDougall, and Boothe. McDougall and Boothe both went 2-for-4 at the plate with a single and a double. Harper also laid down a single off a bunt and scored a run. The middle of Concord's batting order accounted for all five hits.

The Braves got themselves on the board first in the second inning with two unearned runs off of a fielding error, but the Mountain Lions more than answered back in the top of the third inning.

Six consecutive Concord batters reached base to start the inning on the way to a three-run showing that included Morris' RBI-double as well as Gleason's run-scoring hit to give CU a 3-2 lead.

Pembroke's Megan Hillard made it a 3-3 game in the fourth inning with an RBI-single, but the run would be the last of the contest for the Braves as McDougal went on to hold Pembroke scoreless over the final three innings while the Concord offense added three more runs on the way to the 6-3 victory.

Gleason started a string of three doubles in the fifth inning. Gleason's two-bagger led to McDougall and Boothe both following suit with matching run scoring doubles. After leading off the sixth inning with a walk and advancing to second off of Carrigan's sacrifice hit, freshman Kristi Benvenuto scored off of an error for the Mountain Lions' final run.

Concord (3-5) finishes out their time at the UNCP Invitational 1:30 p.m. Sunday against Fayetteville State University.