Mercer University
South Ala.
Woody Breaks Single Season Hit Record As South Alabama Sweeps Bears
4/25/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MOBILE, Ala. – Sophomore McKenzie Woody broke the Bears' single season hit record on Wednesday afternoon, but the historic day was somewhat overshadowed as the Mercer softball team dropped a mid-week doubleheader at South Alabama.
Woody came into the day with 70 total hits on the year, which was tied for the record set back in 2008 by Jamie Madruga. In the top of the third inning, Woody laid down her patented slap infield hit and was able to beat out the throw at first to capture sole possession of the record.
Unfortunately, the hits would come far and few between as Mercer dropped both games to extend its current losing streak to 11 games. The Bears fell in game one by a 3-0 decision and then failed to maintain an early lead in game two to lose 3-1.
The current losing streak is a season long and longest since a 14-game losing streak set back in 2007.
The Bears (24-26, 5-11 A-Sun) amassed just five hits and one run between the two games on Wednesday and on the current losing streak have been outscored by their opponents, 63-25. Senior Kassie Bailey and junior Kerri Nidiffer picked up the losses in game one and game two respectively.
GAME ONE
Mercer was limited to just three hits in the first game as South Alabama's Farish Beard had an outstanding performance in striking out 14 Bears' batters en route to the victory. Beard set the tone early on as she struck out the Mercer side in each of the first two innings.
Mercer's starter, senior Kassie Bailey also pitched well in allowing just three runs, but couldn't get the necessary run support to snap the skid. Bailey finished giving up seven hits with a strikeout and three walks in throwing the complete game.
It wasn't until the top of the third that the Bears recorded their first hit, a McKenzie Woody infield single. Woody also had a hit in game two and with that set the Mercer single-season hit record with 72 on the year. Her current .436 batting average would also be a new single-season record for the sophomore out of Fayatteville.
The Jaguars jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the third when Bailey worked herself into a jam. After two walks and a passed ball loaded the bases, Bailey allowed a two-out RBI single to right that scored a pair of runs on the play.
After the third inning, the Bears had just four base runners as Beard continued roll along. A Tiffany Phillips single in the sixth and a freshman Molly Garmany double to left in the seventh represented the other two Mercer hits in the game, but neither equated to a run coming across for the Bears.
South Alabama added an insurance run in the fifth with another two-out RBI single from Brittany Fowler.
Beard improved to 4-2 on the year while Bailey dropped to 9-13 with the loss.
GAME TWO
McKenzie Woody led off game two with a walk and would come around to score two batters later when senior Kassie Bailey roped an RBI single to left, scoring Woody from second. The run gave Mercer the outright lead after one, but the advantage would be short lived as South Alabama plated a run in each of the next three innings.
South Alabama's Meghan Collins led off the second by taking a Kerri Nidiffer pitch to deep left field for a solo home run to tie the game up. Nidiffer was able to shake off the errant pitch to get out of the inning and had an overall solid outing on Wednesday.
Nidiffer allowed just three hits in game two, but again the Bears bats fell silent in generating just two hits of their own.
After Mercer failed to generate a run with runners on second and third in its half of the third inning, the Jaguars were able to capitalize in their half to take lead.
South Alabama's Kaitlyn Griffith made a heads up play at third to score off an Alyssa Linn ground out to short to give the Jaguars the eventual game-winning run. The Jaguars third and final run came across in the bottom of the fourth in the form of Haley Hopkins solo blast to left center.
The Bears were able to threaten again in the fifth and had a realistic shot at tying the game with runners in scoring position with just one out. Krista Kennedy led off the inning with a walk and McKenzie Woody would reach with her 72nd hit of the season to put pressure on game two starter Katy Neal.
Three different Mercer batters had a shot at bringing home Kennedy and Woody, but Neal did a good job of recording the outs to escape the jam.
After that the Bears were retired in order in final two innings to record the loss. Nidiffer moves to 4-7 on the year while South Alabama's Katy Neal improves to 7-3.
