Bears Lose Close One In Game Two of Sunshine State Classic to Southern Miss
4/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Tallahassee, Fla. – Game two of the Bears opening weekend
series at the Sunshine State Classic leveled up Mercer's
record on the young season. The Bears lost a one-run decision in
the bottom of the seventh to Southern Miss, 4-3.
After beating Iona College 8-0 in the early game, the Bears came
up just short on what seemed to be a misfortunate play against a
Southern Miss team that beat #19 Florida State on Thursday night.
In the top of the seventh down by one run, sophomore shortstop
Sarah Stukes doubled down the right field line into foul
territory.
The hit scored a run then proceeded to get stuck under a tarp,
halting junior first baseman Allison Jones at third. Jones more
than likely would have scored on the play giving the Bears a
one-run lead with two outs and a runner still on third.
The Golden Eagles would get out of the inning with the game tied
3-3 and would eventually score the winning run on an Alexis Hurley
single up the middle of the infield in the bottom of the
inning.
“That was a midseason game on the first day of the
year,” head coach Mike Raynor said of the close loss.
“We played a good team that beat Florida State a couple days
ago and we fought right down to the wire. I am happy with our
performance overall today and we will get back at it
tomorrow.”
The Bears (1-1, 0-0 A-Sun) had three runs on six hits and one
error against Southern Miss, a team they will meet again tomorrow
morning at 11:15 a.m. Junior pitcher Kari Chambers got the nod in
the second game going two and third giving up three hits and one
earned run before junior Jenni Holtz took over the rest of the way.
Holtz would strike out six in four innings of work moving her early
season total to 15. She also gave up five hits and three earned
runs in the loss.
The Bears offense, which was a focal point of offseason
preparations, was mediocre in the season's first day with
just 10 hits in two games and eight earned runs. Stukes led the
Bears with three RBI's on the day with two doubles and triple
between the two games on Saturday.
The Bears will continue play in two more games in the Florida
State Sunshine State Classic on Sunday making up one of the game
they lost due to weather on Friday. First, they will play the same
Southern Miss team at 11:15 a.m. followed by a 1:15 match-up with
host team #19 Florida State.
