Softball Beats Glenville with Walk-off Hit at NCSI - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

The Concord University softball team returned to the field Monday afternoon to split a pair of games at the National Collegiate Sports Invitational in Myrtle Beach, S.C. After dropping a 4-1 decision to Tusculum College, the Mountain Lions salvaged the day by beating Glenville State, 5-4, thanks to a walk-off hit by Stephanie Harper.

The split moves Concord's record to 6-9 on the year. CU's game against West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rival Glenville State was a non-conference win.

Concord recorded four hits against Tusculum as Harper, senior Becca Gleason, freshman Alyssa Morris and sophomore Lacey McDougall all went 1-for-3. Gleason's hit was a triple, her first of the season.

Harper drove in Concord's lone run of the game in the second inning with a single that plated Gleason.

McDougall (4-5) took the loss for Concord after giving up the four unearned runs and 10 hits in seven innings while striking out three batters.

Tusculum scored two runs in both the second and seventh frames. Concord left runners on base in all but one inning.

The Mountain Lions' offense rebounded in game two. Concord out hit Glenville State 9-7 as seven different CU players recording hits. The Maroon and Gray went 5-for-13 with runners on base against Glenville State.

Morris was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Seymour chipped in a pair of hits as well, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored of her own. Gleason finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored from her spot atop the Concord batting order.

Harper delivered the game-winning hit while also picking up the complete-game victory in the circle. She scattered seven hits and four runs with two strikeouts to improve to 1-0 on the year.

The chances of Concord snapping its four-game losing streak seemed bleak early on as Glenville State led off the game with a four-run first inning. However, Harper regrouped to take control of the contest, allowing just one hit and two walks in the final six innings of the night.

With Glenville's bats shutdown, the Concord offense began to claw its way back into the game. Morris drove in Gleason with an RBI-single in the bottom of the first. Gleason scored again in third, this time off of a single by McDougall to cut GSC's lead down to just two runs.

The Mountain Lions tied the game up at 4-4 in the sixth with consecutive RBI-hits from Seymour and Whitney Carrigan. Seymour's hit, a double, scored Morris, who led off the inning with a triple, while Carrigan's brought in Seymour.

CU completed its comeback in dramatic fashion. Hayley Wade was stationed on third base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Harper came to the plate and smacked a single to right field to bring Wade home and secure the 5-4 win.

Morris' RBI against the Pioneers was her team-best 14th of the season. She is also riding an eight-game hitting streak. McDougall and Gleason will also carry four-game hitting streaks into Tuesday's games.

The Mountain Lions continue their eight-game schedule in Myrtle Beach on Tuesday against Spalding University (KY) at 12:00 p.m. followed by a re-match against Tusculum College at 7:00 p.m.