Bears Head North For In-state Duel with No. 20 Georgia Tech
4/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer softball team heads into the final weekend of Atlantic Sun Conference play in solid position to secure the sixth and final tournament position, but first will turn its attention to ACC rival No. 20 Georgia Tech on Wednesday.
The Bears picked up tomorrow's doubleheader against the Yellow Jackets(39-8, 12-1 ACC) after both teams had several games rained out earlier in the year. Tomorrow's games will help prepare the Bears for this weekend as fellow in-state rival Kennesaw St. heads to Sikes Field for the final A-Sun doubleheader on Saturday.
Currently the Bears hold onto the sixth position with two conference games left and the team nipping at their heels is North Florida. Mercer(26-22, 8-10 A-Sun) has a one-game advantage on the Ospreys(22-29, 6-10 A-Sun), but UNF has four more conference games to play.
There are still a number of scenarios that could play out as UNF does not finish their A-Sun portion of the schedule until May 4, but the Bears could help themselves out by winning this weekend against the Owls.
LAST TIME OUT
AT LIPSCOMB - April 22 - L, 1-0 (game 1); L, 1-0 (game 2)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a pair of highly competitive Atlantic Sun games, the Mercer Bears softball team was narrowly outdueled by the Lipscomb Lady Bisons last Friday night, losing 1-0 in two games.
Each of the two runs the Bears (26-22, 8-10 A-Sun) allowed on Friday night came as a result of errors by the Bears normally reliable defense. The Bears gave up a run in the fourth in game one and then played into extra innings in game two, losing on a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth.
The losses move the Bears back to sixth position in the current Atlantic Sun standings with just one conference date left in the 2011 regular season.
SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Georgia Tech comes in as the No. 20 ranked team in the country in the latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday. The Yellow Jackets swept the Bears last season in a pair of games, 8-2 and 5-10 come into Wednesday's games having won seven of their last eight.
Georgia Tech stands atop the ACC conference with a 12-1 record. Mercer trails in the all-time series against Georgia Tech 13-48
This season, the Yellow Jackets are by junior shortstop Kelsi Weseman who is batting .433, with 51 RBI on 55 hits. Four other players have over 30 RBI this season as the team has driven in a total of 286 RBI this year, good enough for the 18th ranked scoring team in the nation.
Inside the circle, Georgia Tech is led by senior Kristen Adkins who carries a 1.42 ERA and an 18-5 overall record with five shutouts. She has also thrown 11 complete games and given up just 29 earned runs in 33 appearances.
