Softball Goes One-for-One on Day One of Phyllis Rafter Memorial
4/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Mercer Bears went one-for-one on the
first day of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial hosted by Kennesaw State.
Mercer lost in game one against Western Illinois, 4-0 and beat
Tennessee Tech in game two, 9-1 in six innings.
It was a tale of two games on Friday as the Bears continue to work
out the kinks early on in 2010. In game one Mercer got behind early
as junior pitcher Jenni Holtz gave a solo home run to Leathernecks
infielder Julie DePolo in the top of the first inning. That run
proved to be the game winner as the Bears were shutout for the
first time this season. WIU starting pitcher Kamren Ferguson went
the distance giving up only five hits on the day.
DePolo would add her second RBI of the day in the top of the third
on a double to left center scoring Colleen Biebel. The Leathernecks
would add two more in the top of the seventh before Ferguson
finished with her first shutout of the season. Holtz moved to 2-3
on the year giving up nine hits four earned runs and six
strikeouts.
The Bears second game saw head coach Mike Raynor shake up his
lineup adding in three players who got their first start of the
season. Sophomores Lilli Luke and Stephanie Canara got the nod at
third and second base respectively and did a nice job overall.
Freshman Sarah Santana got her first career start at first base and
made several individual defensive plays in the game.
Yet it was the bat of junior Emi Sherrill that quickly drew the
attention. Sherrill hit two homeruns in the game adding four RBI to
her season total of six. The first home run was two-run blast in
the third to left center over the higher fences at Twin Creeks
Softball Complex in Woodstock, Ga. The second looked eerily similar
sailing deep over the left center wall scoring sophomore Sara Stukes in the top of the fifth. The Bears added five runs in the
fifth and one in the sixth to run-rule the Golden Eagles.
Junior pitcher Kari Chambers made the return to her hometown of
Woodstock in fine fashion against Tennessee Tech, pitching a
complete game while giving up 11 hits and four strikeouts in the
game. The 11 hits are deceiving in that Chambers only gave up one
extra base hit on the day with the rest of the hits coming as
singles.
The Bears will continue the three-day tournament on Saturday as
they take on Ball State at 1:00 p.m. and Southern Illinois at
3:30.
