Sunday, April 29
Cullowhee, N.C.
1 P.M.
Mercer University
31-15, 0
7
at
4
Western Carolina
15-33, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Mercer
0
0
2
2
1
0
2
7
16
5
Western Carolina
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
4
9
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bilgri, Megan (10-6)
L: Liscio (5-9)
S: Preston, Stella (3)
Batting:
2B: Rud, Meghan 3 ; Sanchez, Laurenne 1 ; Jones, Allie 1
RBI: Rud, Meghan 3 ; Sanchez, Laurenne 1 ; Taylor, Caroline 1 ; Andrew, Emma 1 ; Rood, Micayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rud, Meghan 2 ; Sanchez, Laurenne 1 ; Jones, Allie 2 ; Rood, Micayla 2
SB: Sanchez, Laurenne 1
Batting:
2B: Gibbons 1 ; Daniels 1
HR: Long 1
RBI: Long 1 ; Armstrong 1 ; Daniels 1
SH: McNeil 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Long 2 ; Gibbons 1 ; Armstrong 1
HBP: Reed 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
4
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
Photo by: Judy Stapleton
Mercer Spoils Catamounts’ Senior Day
4/29/2018 5:55:00 PM | Softball
Bears register a season-high 16 hits in rubber match in Cullowhee
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Mercer concluded its regular season road schedule with a win on Sunday, defeating Western Carolina 7-4 in the Catamounts' Senior Day. With the win, the Bears improved to 31-15, including 10-3 in Southern Conference action.
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Mercer 7, Western Carolina 4
The Catamounts nearly broke through in the second inning after a single and an error placed a pair of runners on second and third with nobody out. The Bears held Western Carolina at bay in the inning, recording three consecutive outs highlighted by Laurenne Sanchez's throw to the plate on a fielder's choice put out.
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Mercer used the momentum to cross the plate first in the third inning following an RBI single from Caroline Taylor, her 41st RBI of the season and sixth of the weekend. Two batter later, Emma Andrew singled to short and beat the throw to first, bringing home Sanchez for the 2-0 advantage.
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The Catamounts trimmed the Bears' lead in half as Long hit a towering shot to right center, her second homer in as many days.
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Mercer added three runs to its lead in the fourth and fifth innings combined. Two of the runs came in the fourth inning off back-to-back RBI doubles from Meghan Rud and Laurenne Sanchez. The fifth Mercer run in the game came via the RBI single off the bat of Micayla Rood, plating Allie Jones from second.
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Western Carolina made the game interesting in the bottom of the fifth and sixth, scoring three runs on six hits and one Mercer error. The Catamounts plated two in the sixth inning to trim the Mercer lead to 5-4. However, Megan Bilgri was able to strand four runners on base during the two innings, preserving the lead for the Bears.
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Mercer put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh frame as Rud laced her third double of the contest, plating Rood and Jones for the 7-4 advantage. That was all Stella Preston needed as the sophomore righty came in to close the victory for Mercer, earning her third save of the season.
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Bilgri improved to 10-6 on the season, including 2-0 during the weekend following six innings of work. The Illinois native yielded four runs and struck out three batters in the process. Preston came in for relief in the seventh inning, registering a 1-2-3 inning.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Megan Bilgri (10-6)
» Loss: Kinsey Liscio (5-9)
» Save: Stella Preston (3)
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Stat of the Day
Mercer was all over the ball in game three of the series, coming away with a season-high 16 hits in the ball game. Meghan Rud, Laurenne Sanchez, Allie Jones and Micayla Rood combined for 13 of the team's 16 base knocks.
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Player of the Day
Meghan Rud earned the honors of Player of the Day for Mercer, finishing 4-for-5 at the dish with three doubles and three runs batted in. The three doubles by Rud marked a career-high for doubles in a single game as well as a career-best seven total bases in a single contest.
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Notables
» Mercer improves to 11-5 all-time against the Catamounts, including 4-2 in Cullowhee, N.C.
» The Bears have still yet to drop a conference series this season, earning their third conference series win of the season. Mercer split two, two-game series with UNCG and Samford this season.
» Meghan Rud entered the game without a double on the season, ending that streak with a career-high three doubles in the victory.
» Laurenne Sanchez had a big weekend for Mercer, finishing 6-of-9 at the dish with one RBI and three runs scored.
» Meghan Rud appeared at the plate five times today and now needs four at bats to become the all-time leader in Mercer history.
» The Bears finished the game with a season-best 16 hits as four players collected three or more base knocks, led by Rud's four base hits.
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Record Update
» Mercer: 31-15, 10-3
» Western Carolina: 15-33, 2-13
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Up Next
The Bears will close the 2018 regular season next weekend with a three-game series against the Paladins of Furman. Mercer is still in reach of the 2018 SoCon Regular Season Title and will begin the pursuit on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. in a game that will serve as Senior Day for Mercer.
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Softball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerUSoftball (Twitter), /MercerSoftball (Facebook) and @MercerUSoftball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Mercer 7, Western Carolina 4
The Catamounts nearly broke through in the second inning after a single and an error placed a pair of runners on second and third with nobody out. The Bears held Western Carolina at bay in the inning, recording three consecutive outs highlighted by Laurenne Sanchez's throw to the plate on a fielder's choice put out.
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Mercer used the momentum to cross the plate first in the third inning following an RBI single from Caroline Taylor, her 41st RBI of the season and sixth of the weekend. Two batter later, Emma Andrew singled to short and beat the throw to first, bringing home Sanchez for the 2-0 advantage.
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The Catamounts trimmed the Bears' lead in half as Long hit a towering shot to right center, her second homer in as many days.
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Mercer added three runs to its lead in the fourth and fifth innings combined. Two of the runs came in the fourth inning off back-to-back RBI doubles from Meghan Rud and Laurenne Sanchez. The fifth Mercer run in the game came via the RBI single off the bat of Micayla Rood, plating Allie Jones from second.
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Western Carolina made the game interesting in the bottom of the fifth and sixth, scoring three runs on six hits and one Mercer error. The Catamounts plated two in the sixth inning to trim the Mercer lead to 5-4. However, Megan Bilgri was able to strand four runners on base during the two innings, preserving the lead for the Bears.
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Mercer put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh frame as Rud laced her third double of the contest, plating Rood and Jones for the 7-4 advantage. That was all Stella Preston needed as the sophomore righty came in to close the victory for Mercer, earning her third save of the season.
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Bilgri improved to 10-6 on the season, including 2-0 during the weekend following six innings of work. The Illinois native yielded four runs and struck out three batters in the process. Preston came in for relief in the seventh inning, registering a 1-2-3 inning.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Megan Bilgri (10-6)
» Loss: Kinsey Liscio (5-9)
» Save: Stella Preston (3)
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Stat of the Day
Mercer was all over the ball in game three of the series, coming away with a season-high 16 hits in the ball game. Meghan Rud, Laurenne Sanchez, Allie Jones and Micayla Rood combined for 13 of the team's 16 base knocks.
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Player of the Day
Meghan Rud earned the honors of Player of the Day for Mercer, finishing 4-for-5 at the dish with three doubles and three runs batted in. The three doubles by Rud marked a career-high for doubles in a single game as well as a career-best seven total bases in a single contest.
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Notables
» Mercer improves to 11-5 all-time against the Catamounts, including 4-2 in Cullowhee, N.C.
» The Bears have still yet to drop a conference series this season, earning their third conference series win of the season. Mercer split two, two-game series with UNCG and Samford this season.
» Meghan Rud entered the game without a double on the season, ending that streak with a career-high three doubles in the victory.
» Laurenne Sanchez had a big weekend for Mercer, finishing 6-of-9 at the dish with one RBI and three runs scored.
» Meghan Rud appeared at the plate five times today and now needs four at bats to become the all-time leader in Mercer history.
» The Bears finished the game with a season-best 16 hits as four players collected three or more base knocks, led by Rud's four base hits.
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Record Update
» Mercer: 31-15, 10-3
» Western Carolina: 15-33, 2-13
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Up Next
The Bears will close the 2018 regular season next weekend with a three-game series against the Paladins of Furman. Mercer is still in reach of the 2018 SoCon Regular Season Title and will begin the pursuit on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. in a game that will serve as Senior Day for Mercer.
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Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Softball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerUSoftball (Twitter), /MercerSoftball (Facebook) and @MercerUSoftball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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