SALEM, Va. - - Cavalier softball fell to No. 2 Concord University, 3-2, in an elimination game in the Mountain East Conference Tournament Saturday morning.
Sophomore Alexis Miles recorded the Cavs (22-27) first hit on a two-out single to right center but would be stranded as Concord's Cartney Schoolcraft struck out her second batter of the inning.
After 1 1/2 innings of no score, Concord (35-18) drove home two in the bottom of the second to take the lead. With one out, a Cavalier error put Lauren Blunt on first. Back-to-back singles by Concord loaded the bases as Dani Bloomingdale scored Kaitlyn Stewart and Blunt on a two RBI single to left field.
The Mountain Lions would get another runner in scoring position an inning later on a fielding error, sacrifice bunt, and ground out, but a fly out to right field ended the inning as Concord held on to a 2-0 advantage.
UVa-Wise scored its first run of the day in the top of the fifth frame with senior Shannon Bennett leading the inning with a single to right field. Fellow senior Lucindy Lawson's sacrifice bunt advanced Bennett to second before a two-out single to left field off the bat of junior Julia Hoy scored Bennett as the Cavs cut into the Mountain Lions lead, 2-1.
Concord responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame with a triple followed by an RBI ground out sending home the Mountain Lions' Kylie Kent.
The Cavaliers were able to tack on one more run in the top of the sixth. Consecutive walks for sophomore Kaylee Jones and Miles with only one out set up UVa-Wise to score once more. Junior Nikki Smith's fly out to center allowed Jones to advance to third as Bennett scored the second baseman on the next at-bat on a single to right field as UVa-Wise trailed by just one run, 3-2.
Concord managed to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the sixth but sophomore Kailyn Spencer would get her third strike out of the day to end the frame with two Mountain Lions left on base.
Another single by Hoy to left center put one on for UVa-Wise with just one out, but a fly out to right and a strike out swinging ended the game as Concord held on to win, 3-2.
Lapallo (9-12) suffered the loss as she gave up three hits and two runs across three innings in the circle.
Concord's Schoolcraft (17-5) earned the win allowing five hits and fanning nine in a complete game effort.
Co-Head Coaches Karen Bitter and Nick Bitter's team will return to action next spring.
