Mercer University
Campbell
Bears Knocked Out of Tourney in 3-0 Loss to Campbell
5/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
CLICK HERE for photo gallery vs. Campbell
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Two days after defeating Campbell, 2-1, to open up the 2011 Atlantic Sun Championship, the Mercer softball team was eliminated by the same Camels on Friday, 3-0.
Mercer (32-24, 10-10 A-Sun) came into the game hitting nearly .300 as a team, with 24 hits in the tournament. On Friday, the bats fell silent as the Bears were able to get to Campbell starter Brittany Arnn for just two hits in the shutout. The Camels knocked MU out of the 2009 tournament as well, defeating Mercer in the championship game.
Perhaps the play of the game came early in the bottom of the first. With one out, Campbell had a runner on second when Lauren Stephan hit a deep fly ball to center field. Mercer freshman McKenzie Woody made the catch and then threw a perfect ball to third, but in a controversial play Campbell's Amanda Miller was called safe when she tagged up from second. The play would have ended the inning, but Campbell took advantage instead.
The Camels next two batters stung the Bears with back-to-back hits that scored two runs to take the early 2-0 lead. From there, Mercer was forced to play from behind and struggled against Arnn and the Campbell defense, as the Camels held the Bears hitless through four.
In the fifth, Mercer sophomore Sarah Santana got the Bears on the board with a single up the middle. However, the inning was short-lived as Campbell was able to turn an inning-ending double play.
Woody, who had a solid tournament with a team-high five hits, proved why she was a unanimous selection to the A-Sun All-Freshmen team. In the sixth, Woody slapped a ball to a waiting Amanda Miller at short and was able to use her extraordinary speed to beat out the throw to first.
Woody's hit would be the last the Bears would get, as the Camels turned their second double play of the game in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Mercer finished out the 2011 season in impressive fashion however, winning seven out of its last nine (including two wins in the conference tournament). The 32 wins is the fourth best finish in program history and the 10 conference wins is tied for the third best result in A-Sun play.
Five Mercer seniors played in their final game on Saturday including pitcher Jenni Holtz. Holtz went 5.1 innings giving up just two hits and one earned run on Friday. She added to her storied career by leading the Bears inside the circle during the tournament.
Holtz threw 19.1 innings in the four games and struck out 18, while giving up just three earned runs. She finished her career just 60 strikeouts shy of the 1,000 plateau.
