Thursday, May 10
Greensboro, N.C.
3 P.M.
Mercer University
33-18
3
vs
5
#6 ETSU
18-25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
ETSU
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
5
8
1
Mercer
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
3
5
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Madison Ogle (12-13)
L: Bilgri, Megan (10-9)
Batting:
2B: Lauren Lee 1 ; Nikki Grupp 1
RBI: Kelly Warren 1 ; Nikki Grupp 1 ; Taylor Wright 1 ; Vanessa Elliott 1 ; Kylie Toler 1
SF: Vanessa Elliott 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lauren Lee 2 ; Anissa Avila 1 ; Kylie Toler 1 ; Kelsey Chernak 1
SB: Kelly Warren 1 ; Anissa Avila 1
Batting:
2B: Mauga, Quirisa 1 ; Jones, Allie 1 ; Rood, Micayla 1
HR: Taylor, Caroline 1
RBI: Taylor, Caroline 1 ; Mauga, Quirisa 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sanchez, Laurenne 1 ; Taylor, Caroline 1 ; Jones, Allie 1
SB: Buckland, Kate 1
HBP: Taylor, Caroline 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
Photo by: Judy Stapleton
Mercer Drops Weather-Delayed Game in Nine
5/10/2018 10:33:00 PM | Softball
Bears fall to No. 6 ETSU in the second round of SoCon Tournament
GREENSBORO, N.C. –The Mercer softball team dropped a 5-3 decision to sixth-seeded ETSU in nine innings on the second day of the 2018 Southern Conference Championship in a game that: began at 3 p.m., went into nearly a four-hour weather delay and then was extended two extra innings. The game was full of excitement as the Bears rallied yet again, while Caroline Taylor tied the Mercer all-time record for career home runs with 46.
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ETSU 5, Mercer 3
Mercer fell behind early for the fifth consecutive game, this time against the Bucs as Wright connected on a single to left center, plating Lee who led off the game with a double to right center.
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The Bears wasted no time in tying the game up, doing so on a Quirisa Mauga double to left field. Mauga's rope over Laughren's head brought home Laurenne Sanchez from second. The Bears tried to take the lead on the play, but Taylor was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first.
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ETSU reclaimed the lead in the top half of the third inning, scoring two runs on three hits, highlighted by Grupp's RBI double to right center field.
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The Bears regained some momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning following Taylor's solo blast over the left field fence, tying her for the most homers in program history as well as setting a new personal record for most long balls in a single season with 15.
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The game halted in the top of the fifth inning after ETSU's Kelly Warren singled up the middle with one away. Following nearly a four-hour delay, the Bears came back rejuvenated as Megan Bilgri entered in relief and fanned the first two batters she faced to end the inning.
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Drama ensued in the bottom of the sixth for the Bears, putting runners on first and second with one away. Mauga delivered a quality at bat for Mercer, lifting a loud fly ball to the warning track and allowing Megan Lane to tag up to third with two away. The rally was stymied after Emma Andrew was set down swinging with runners on second and third.
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Down to its final three outs, Mercer came to life for another late rally. SoCon All-Freshman Team honoree Allie Jones led off the bottom of the seventh with a double in the left field alley and was bunted over to third from SoCon Freshman of the Year, Micayla Rood. The Bears plated the equalizer on the next at bat as Warren hit a sharp grounder to second and reached on a fielder's choice. Jones scored on the play after ETSU's catcher misplayed a ball thrown at home to even the game at three.
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After a scoreless eighth inning, the Bucs scored two runs in the top of the ninth on two hits and one Mercer error. ETSU's key hit came from Toler with the game-winning RBI single to short.
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The Bears were held scoreless in the bottom of the ninth despite Rood reaching on a one-out single. Stella Preston started the game for Mercer, allowing three runs on six hits. However, Bilgri was tagged with the loss after throwing four and two-thirds innings with two runs on two hits, one earned. Bilgri also fanned four batters in the process.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Madison Ogle (12-13)
» Loss: Megan Bilgri (10-9)
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Stat of the Day
The Bears have lived up to the rallies in the first two games, coming from behind to defeat Western Carolina in game one and then scoring one run in the seventh against ETSU to force extra innings.
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Player of the Day
Caroline Taylor continues to swing a red-hot bat for the Bears. Taylor finished 1-for-1 with a solo shot to left field and reached base three other times after being walked twice and hit by a pitch once. Taylor has yet to be put away at the dish in the SoCon tournament this season.
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Notables
» The Bears are 8-7 all-time in the SoCon tournament following today's loss.
» Mercer has now fallen to 21-14 against ETSU, including 0-2 in the SoCon Tournament.
» Caroline Taylor notched her 15th homer of the season, tying a Mercer single-season record for long balls. Taylor's 15th dinger this season was her 46th of her illustrious career, tying the program record for most homers in a career.
» This is the second consecutive season that Mercer and ETSU have gone to nine innings in the SoCon Tournament.
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Record Update
» Mercer: 33-18
» ETSU: 18-25
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Up Next
Mercer will return to action at 10 a.m. against the No. 5-seeded Samford in the first game of day three. The game was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. tonight, but was moved due to the weather delay.
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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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ETSU 5, Mercer 3
Mercer fell behind early for the fifth consecutive game, this time against the Bucs as Wright connected on a single to left center, plating Lee who led off the game with a double to right center.
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The Bears wasted no time in tying the game up, doing so on a Quirisa Mauga double to left field. Mauga's rope over Laughren's head brought home Laurenne Sanchez from second. The Bears tried to take the lead on the play, but Taylor was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first.
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ETSU reclaimed the lead in the top half of the third inning, scoring two runs on three hits, highlighted by Grupp's RBI double to right center field.
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The Bears regained some momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning following Taylor's solo blast over the left field fence, tying her for the most homers in program history as well as setting a new personal record for most long balls in a single season with 15.
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The game halted in the top of the fifth inning after ETSU's Kelly Warren singled up the middle with one away. Following nearly a four-hour delay, the Bears came back rejuvenated as Megan Bilgri entered in relief and fanned the first two batters she faced to end the inning.
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Drama ensued in the bottom of the sixth for the Bears, putting runners on first and second with one away. Mauga delivered a quality at bat for Mercer, lifting a loud fly ball to the warning track and allowing Megan Lane to tag up to third with two away. The rally was stymied after Emma Andrew was set down swinging with runners on second and third.
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Down to its final three outs, Mercer came to life for another late rally. SoCon All-Freshman Team honoree Allie Jones led off the bottom of the seventh with a double in the left field alley and was bunted over to third from SoCon Freshman of the Year, Micayla Rood. The Bears plated the equalizer on the next at bat as Warren hit a sharp grounder to second and reached on a fielder's choice. Jones scored on the play after ETSU's catcher misplayed a ball thrown at home to even the game at three.
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After a scoreless eighth inning, the Bucs scored two runs in the top of the ninth on two hits and one Mercer error. ETSU's key hit came from Toler with the game-winning RBI single to short.
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The Bears were held scoreless in the bottom of the ninth despite Rood reaching on a one-out single. Stella Preston started the game for Mercer, allowing three runs on six hits. However, Bilgri was tagged with the loss after throwing four and two-thirds innings with two runs on two hits, one earned. Bilgri also fanned four batters in the process.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Madison Ogle (12-13)
» Loss: Megan Bilgri (10-9)
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Stat of the Day
The Bears have lived up to the rallies in the first two games, coming from behind to defeat Western Carolina in game one and then scoring one run in the seventh against ETSU to force extra innings.
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Player of the Day
Caroline Taylor continues to swing a red-hot bat for the Bears. Taylor finished 1-for-1 with a solo shot to left field and reached base three other times after being walked twice and hit by a pitch once. Taylor has yet to be put away at the dish in the SoCon tournament this season.
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Notables
» The Bears are 8-7 all-time in the SoCon tournament following today's loss.
» Mercer has now fallen to 21-14 against ETSU, including 0-2 in the SoCon Tournament.
» Caroline Taylor notched her 15th homer of the season, tying a Mercer single-season record for long balls. Taylor's 15th dinger this season was her 46th of her illustrious career, tying the program record for most homers in a career.
» This is the second consecutive season that Mercer and ETSU have gone to nine innings in the SoCon Tournament.
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Record Update
» Mercer: 33-18
» ETSU: 18-25
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Up Next
Mercer will return to action at 10 a.m. against the No. 5-seeded Samford in the first game of day three. The game was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. tonight, but was moved due to the weather delay.
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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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