Softball Looks to Secure A-Sun Tournament Berth against Kennesaw State
4/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer softball team enters this weekend in position to capture the sixth and final spot in the 2011 Atlantic Sun Softball Championship when it takes on Kennesaw State in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Sikes Field.
Game one of the double-dip is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., with game two to follow at 4 p.m.
Mercer (26-22, 8-10 A-Sun) is currently two games up in the win column on North Florida, who is currently 6-10 in A-Sun action this season. If the Bears can hold off or end up tied with the Ospreys, who have four conference games remaining, they will secure their fourth A-Sun Championship appearance under head coach Mike Raynor and first since 2009.
Last Time Out
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a pair of highly competitive Atlantic Sun games, the Mercer softball team was narrowly out-dueled by the Lipscomb Lady Bisons on April 22, losing a pair of tight 1-0 contests.
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 an unearned run in the bottom of 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.
Senior Kari Chambers and junior Kassie Bailey each had impressive outings inside the circle for the Bears. The two combined to strike out 13 batters in the two games and allowed just two runs.
Offensively for the Bears, freshman McKenzie Woody laced a single in each of the games and was the only player on the Bears roster to record a hit in both games. She extended her current hitting streak to seven games and is the second longest streak for her this season, as she put together an 11-game hitting streak earlier in the season.
Scouting the Opposition
Kennesaw State (28-23, 10-8 A-Sun) enters play this weekend having already secured a spot in the 2011 Atlantic Sun Softball Championship. The Owls most recently dropped a 6-1 decision to Georgia on April 27, managing just three hits in the contest. Kennesaw State features one of the more potent offenses in the conference, ranking third in the league in both home runs (39) and runs scored (225). The Owls are paced at the dish by sophomore Sharon Swanson. The Canton, Ga. product leads the team with a .375 batting average, 14 home runs and 49 RBI.
Quick Hits
- Senior Anna Johnson has 25 stolen bases so far this season, tied for first in the A-Sun, while freshman McKenzie Woody is not too far behind ranking fifth in the league with 20 thefts. The dynamic duo has more stolen bases (45) than eight other teams in the A-Sun Conference combined.
