Mercer University
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Mississippi St.
Bears Extend Streak to Seven on Day One of KSU Tourney
2/25/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Mercer softball team picked up a pair of wins on the first day of the Phyllis Rafter Memorial, defeating Mississippi St. and Tennessee St., 6-5 and 6-1 respectively.
The Bears (10-4, 0-0 A-Sun) had eight hits in each of the games and benefitted from strong outings from senior pitchers Jenni Holtz and Kari Chambers. The Bears extended their current winning streak to seven and have three more games scheduled over the next two days.
Game one saw the Bears get into a back and forth bout with the SEC's Mississippi St. Bulldogs. The two teams battled until the very end with the Bears prevailing on the arm of Holtz.
Mercer took a quick 1-0 lead when junior Kristin Marko laced a shot down the left field line scoring senior Anna Johnson from second. After that the Bulldogs were able to put three up on the board in the top of the third on the strength of a Courtney Nesbit three-run home run.
However, the Bears answered in the bottom half of the inning when both junior shortstop Sara Stukes and freshman third baseman Randi Rea added home runs of their own. Stukes' third of the season, was a two-run shot to left center and Rea recorded the first of her career over the right field fence. The two home runs gave the Bears back the lead at 4-3. Stukes finished the day going 5-of-6 with the home run and five RBI.
The Bulldogs scored a game-tying run in the fourth, but then Mercer put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth. Stukes had two more of her game-high four RBI when she put a ball deep in the left center gap scorning freshman McKenzie Woody and junior Stephanie Canara.
Holtz went six innings before she was relieved by Chambers in the top of the seventh. However, after Chambers gave up a home run and a walk against the two batters she faced to make the game 6-5, Holtz came back into the game for the final three outs.
Holtz struck out ten in the game including the final batter to put the game away and improve her record to 6-1 on the year.
Chambers did receive the start in game two and was able to throw a one-run complete game herself. She struck out eight batters in seven innings of work.
Offensively, it was again juniors Sara Stukes and Kristin Marko that led the way for the Bears in game two. Stukes went a perfect 3-for-3 with one more RBI to add to her team-high of 18 on the year. Marko added three herself in game two going 1-for-2 at the plate.
The Bears pick up action again tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. against Bowling Green and then wrap up day two against Ball St. at 1 p.m.
