Softball Begins Atlantic Sun Play With Weekend Tilts At USC Upstate and East Tennessee State
3/29/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga.—Riding on the crest of a seven-game winning streak, the Mercer softball team looks to establish even more mid-season momentum as the Bears enter Atlantic Sun play in-earnest this weekend, with trips to USC Upstate (26-4) and East Tennessee State (10-16).
Mercer lost both regular-season games to the Upstate at Sikes Field last season, dropping the series by scores of 3-1 and 5-2. However, the Bears would avenge those regular-season setbacks in a big way, ending Upstate's season at the 2011 A-Sun Softball Tournament at Cyrill Stadium, handing the Spartans their second loss of the double elimination tournament, 3-2.
In the regular-season series against ETSU last spring, the Bears swept the Bucs at Sikes Field, posting victories by scores of 8-0 and 4-0. The series will most be remembered for the rare triple play executed by the Bears, which closed out the game-two victory.
The Bears' current winning streak started back on St. Patrick's Day (Mar. 17), with a 8-0 win over St. Bonaventure in the Tennessee Tiger Invitational. The Bears followed that tournament-opening win with victories over Mississippi Valley State (8-0) and Tennessee State (6-5).
The Bears returned home to post a pair of victories over Alabama State, taking a couple in a weekend doubleheader at Florda A&M, improving their overall ledger to 19-13 heading into A-Sun play.
Centerfielder and leadoff hitter McKenzie Woody has been one of the key cogs offensively for the Bears over this seven-game streak, posting six RBIs, including an inside-the-park home run against Mississippi Valley State in the TSU Tournament.
Woody comes into Friday's action, sporting an A-Sun leading batting average of .464. She also comes into this weekend's action ranking second among the A-Sun leaders in runs scored (31) and stolen bases (20-for-29).
Scouting Upstate:
Despite losing one of the most decorated softball players in the history of the Atlantic Sun, in pitcher Morgan Childers along with several other All-A-Sun performers such as left fielder Kim Brasil and cleanup hitter Lauren Quevedo, the Spartans have not missed much of a beat this season with a 26-4 mark heading into league play. It was Childers that set the all-time Atlantic Sun career wins mark (109) in the regular-season meeting with the Bears a year ago.
The Spartans have gotten strong play out of a pair of newcomers from the Sunshine State this season. Right-handed pitcher and University of Central Florida transfer Lacey Dinney (1.61 ERA, 92 strikeouts, 26 walks), as well as DeLand, Fla. native Shellie Robinson (.457 batting avg, 39 hits, 12 HRs, 26 RBIs) have helped somewhat fill the void for losing the likes of Childers and Quevedo.
Sophomore Hannah Alexander (0.92 ERA, 127 strikeouts, 21 walks) has handled a lion's share of the pitching duties for the Spartans this season, and enters Friday's doubleheader with a 15-2 mark as a starter this season, while the transfer Dinney has posted a 9-2 ledger.
Scouting East Tennessee State:
When the Mercer travels to the tri-cities to visit ETSU for a key A-Sun league softball tilt on Saturday afternoon, it will meet a Buccaneer team that has struggled against a tough non-league slate thus far with a 10-16 start.
Like Mercer, ETSU has been playing well as of late, having posted three-straight wins entering A-Sun play. The Bucs posted a back-to-back wins over an old Southern Conference rival, when they bested Western Carolina by scores of 1-0 and 7-0 to sweep the doubleheader in a midweek series. Prior to the victories over the Catamounts, the Bucs would commence the current three-game winning streak with a thrilling 5-4 win in nine innings over Presbyterian at Betty Basler Field.
The Bucs have been led offensively by Casey Horner (.403 batting avg., 31 hits, 7 HRs, 21 RBIs), while ETSU's Katie Wolff (2.91 ERA, 49 strikeouts, 27 walks) has fashioned a majority of the work in the circle through the first 16 games of the season. Wolff comes into this weekend's A-Sun tilt with a 4-8 record.
