Bears Sweep Savannah St. to Extend Winning Streak

Tuesday, February 22

4 pm

Mercer University

Savannah St.

Bears Sweep Savannah St. to Extend Winning Streak

2/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball

MACON, Ga. – The Bears added to their current five-game winning streak on Tuesday shutting out the visiting Savannah State Lady Tigers 8-0 and 18-0 in a regular season doubleheader at Sikes Field.

Mercer (8-4, 0-0 A-Sun) also added to their career dominance over the Lady Tigers winning for the 24^th time overall. The Bears run-ruled the Lady Tigers(0-6, 0-0 MEAC) in both games on Tuesday combining for 22 total hits on the day. It was the second straight doubleheader sweep in as many days for the Bears.

Game one saw Mercer get out to an eight-run lead by the end of the third inning. The Bears freshmen again played a big role in the offensive onslaught. Freshmen centerfielder McKenzie Woody and Randi Rea each had two hits and an RBI in the game. Woody finished the day going 5-for-7 with two RBI and added five stolen bases in the two games to her move her season total to 10.

Junior shortstop Sara Stukes also had an impressive day and was responsible for four of the Bears first five runs. She laced a two-run double in the bottom of the first and a base-clearing two-run single in the bottom of the second. Stukes finished the game 2-for-3 with the game-high four RBI and a run scored.

In the bottom of the third, Mercer scored three runs on three hits and two Lady Tiger errors to give the Bears the eight runs they needed to run rule Savannah St. From there it was the superb pitching by two Bear hurlers.

Senior Jenni Holtz logged another three scoreless innings, pushing her season ERA to team-low 1.66. She struck out six batters and gave up just one hit before she was relieved in the fourth by sophomore Molly Anderson. Anderson threw the final two innings and gave up just one hit herself to keep the Bears shutout alive.

In game two, six of the seven Bears batters had multiple hits. Woody, Rea, junior Kristin Marko, sophomore Sarah Santana, and seniors Allison Jones and Amanda Santa Maria all had two or more hits in the game. Jones and Marko each had four RBI in the game thanks in part to home runs.

In the bottom of the third with the Bears already up 9-0, Marko took Savanna St. pitcher Cassie Standard's pitch deep to center for a two-run home run. Marko tied the team lead with her third home run of the season. Four batters later, Jones took another Standard pitch out of the yard for a three-run home run. Mercer put up six runs in the third and easily had the game in hand.

Three more Bears pitchers saw action in game two as well. Senior Kari Chambers got the start and went two innings before handing off to junior college transfer Kassie Bailey. Bailey pitched another two scoreless innings before giving freshman Kristen Bretscher her first collegiate play.

Bretscher saw just three batters and retired them all in order to end the Bears end the game.

The Bears will now play their next ten games away from Sikes Field in two straight weekend tournaments. This weekend Mercer heads to the Phyllis Rafter Memorial hosted by Kennesaw St. The following weekend Mercer heads to the Georgia Tech "Buzz Classic". Both tournaments will be played at Twin Creeks softball complex in Woodstock, Ga.