Mercer University
Georgia Tech
Bears Get Back On Track, Beat Georgia Tech 10-9
2/20/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Mercer softball team ended a four-game losing streak in impressive fashion on Wednesday night, as the Bears' Hugghins sisters helped plate three runs in the top of the seventh to down Georgia Tech 10-9 at Mewborn Field in Atlanta.
The Bears (6-5, 0-0 A-Sun) picked up the exciting win with both Rachel and Victoria Hugghins each recording RBI in the top of seventh to give Mercer its 14th win all-time against Georgia Tech.
Senior Kerri Nidiffer secured her third victory of the season after throwing the final two innings including the game's final three outs. Georgia Tech's (8-3, 0-0 ACC) Hope Rush recorded her first loss of the season, moving to 4-1 in a game that saw five lead changes.
Having been outscored 16-4 in the first inning heading into Wednesday night's game, Mercer head coach James DeFeo was looking for a fast start against Georgia Tech. That's just what the second-year head coach received as Mercer jumped out to a 3-1 lead after one.
Freshman Kaytlin Haney got things going as she came around to score after she walked as the game's second batter. Freshman Ashton Holt singled through the left side to score Haney from third to give Mercer their first lead. Tech's starting pitcher Karly Fullem walked in a run before sophomore Victoria Hugghins laced a two-out single to score Holt and give the Bears the 3-0 lead.
Mercer's McKenzie Woody scored her ninth run of the year when she made an opportune play on the bases taking home off a Tech wild pitch in the second inning to give Mercer a 4-1 heading into the bottom of the second.
The Yellow Jackets tied things up for the first time in the bottom half of the second, scoring three runs off three hits including a solo homerun by Alysha Rudnik.
A leadoff homerun by senior Sarah Santana to start the fourth gave the Bears the 5-4 outright lead once again. The homerun to left center was Santana's second of the season and her seventh RBI of the year.
After Georgia Tech tied things up again in the fifth Mercer made another offensive push scoring two more in the sixth, starting first with an RBI double by junior Krista Kennedy. Sophomore Rachel Hugghins tallied her second of three hits on the day to score Kennedy from third to give MU the 7-5 lead.
Junior Kristen Bretscher, who started inside the circle for the Bears, pitched well but after giving up a leadoff double to start the sixth was replaced by Nidiffer who finished out the game. Nidiffer quickly retired two Yellow Jacket batters before watching the Bears lead disappear and Tech take their first lead of the game after scoring four runs in the sixth, 9-7.
In the seventh, Haney immediately gave the Bears a chance by leading off the inning with a single. The Bears then managed to load the bases for the Hugghins sisters. Rachel Hugghins lined an RBI single to score Santana from third to cut the Georgia Tech lead to 9-8. Victoria Hugghins followed her sister with a two-run double to score Randi Rea and Krista Kennedy and give the Bears the 10-9 win.
The Bears will ride the emotional win into the weekend as the team heads south to play in the Florida International Tournament. Mercer will play a doubleheader on Friday against Hartford and Savannah State before finishing up tournament play against FIU on Saturday.
