Mercer University
Purdue
Bears Wrap Up Tournament Against Purdue
2/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
WOODSTOCK, Ga. – The Mercer Bears softball team wrapped up play at the Phyllis Rafter Memorial Tournament on Sunday, losing to Big 10 opponent Purdue, 7-4. The loss moved the Bears' record in the tournament to 3-2 overall.
The Bears (11-6, 0-0 A-Sun) made a late run with the help of two two-run home runs, but were unable to overcome an early seven-run deficit.
Purdue was 8-3 coming into the game and had yet to lose on the weekend, going 3-0. The Boilermakers put up six runs by the end of the third tagging Bears pitchers for nine hits on the day.
Down 7-0 in the top of the sixth, Mercer junior shortstop Sara Stukes put the Bears on the board with her team-leading fourth home run of the year. With freshman McKenzie Woody on first, Stukes took a Suzie Rzegocki pitch off the scoreboard in the right center for the two-run home run.
Stukes finished the tournament going 9-for-16 with a triple, two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI. Coming into the final day of the tournament Stukes was second in the A-Sun with a .489 batting average. She leads the conference with 23 hits and is second with 23 RBI.
In the top of the seventh, the Bears pulled the game within three as freshman Krista Kennedy hit her second-career home run of the season. The two-run shot scored senior Allison Jones who was on first. The Bears late inning come back however was thwarted as Rzegocki was able to record the complete game as Mercer's Anna Johnson grounded out the end the game
Senior pitcher Jenni Holtz recorded her ninth start of the season, but had a hard time early on against the Boilermakers lineup. Holtz went just two and two-thirds innings before she was relieved by fellow senior Kari Chambers. Holtz gave up five earned runs in her outing and moved her overall record to 7-2 on year.
Chambers did a good job of relief work giving up just one run in 3.1 innings.
The Bears continue tournament play next weekend at the Georgia Tech "Buzz Classic." Mercer plays another five games over the three-day tournament beginning on Friday, March 4. The Bears face off against Austin Peay, Boston University, Akron, Miami (Ohio) and Jacksonville St. next weekend in Woodstock, Ga.
