Mercer University
Ohio
Darkness Halts Buccaneer Invite
2/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CHARLESTON, SC – The Mercer softball team lost game one against the University of Ohio and was leading 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning against tournament host Charleston Southern, before the second game of the day was called because of darkness at the Buccaneer Invite on Friday. Game two resumes tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
Bears' (2-3, 0-0 A-Sun) senior pitcher Kari Chambers struck out 13 batters and pitched a complete game, but failed to get the run support she needed as the Bobcats downed Mercer, 2-0, in game one. MU had only two hits in the game, but did have several scoring opportunities in leaving a season-high five runners on base.
Juniors Kristin Marko and Sara Stukes both had singles and the Bears twice had runners on third base in the game, but were unable to generate a run for the first time this season.
"Kari had a phenomenal pitching performance for us today," assistant coach Kelley Bretscher said. "We just couldn't get the offense going to help her out in the first game. But I think we showed what we can do at the plate in game two."
It was Chambers' (1-1) second complete of the year, thus far, and gave up the two runs on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first and a solo home run in the sixth. She did give up 10 hits to the Buccaneers, but the Bears defense did a great job of limiting the scoring and stranded nine of Ohio's base runners.
The Bears' second game was initially delayed because of an extra-inning game between Virginia Tech and Charleston Southern (The Buccaneers defeated the Hokies 10-9 in nine innings). Mercer didn't start its game against Charleston Southern until after 5 p.m.
Because of the delay MU could only play five innings before the game was called because of darkness.
Mercer scored five runs in the first four innings and had a 5-0 lead before the game was stopped play. Freshman infielder Krista Kennedy and Marko both had home runs in the game to pace the Bears' offense in game two. Marko started out the three-run third inning by recording her first home run of the season to left field.
Two batters later, with senior Amanda Santa Maria standing on second, Kennedy laced her first home run in a Bears' uniform to left. Kennedy also recorded a double in her first at-bat in the game. Six different Bears have hits in the game thus far.
Senior pitcher Jenni Holtz started game two and gave up just three hits while striking out seven in five innings of scoreless softball.
The Bears pick up action again tomorrow at 8 a.m. to finish the remaining innings against Charleston Southern and are then scheduled to play Virginia Tech at the conclusion of game two.
