Mercer University
Florida Int''l
Santana Gives Bears 4-3 Win Over FIU
2/24/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MIAMI, Fla. – A solo homerun in the top of the seventh by Mercer senior Sarah Santana secured another dramatic Bears, 4-3 win over tournament host Florida International in the championship game of the FIU Classic on Sunday.
The victory moves Mercer to 9-7 on the year and represented a bit of payback after losing to FIU, 7-0 yesterday. Senior Kerri Nidiffer threw all seven innings in her fourth complete game of the season. She allowed just seven hits and three earned against the Panthers (10-6), moving her team-leading ERA to 2.24.
The Bears worked from behind for just one inning as FIU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. FIU's Amber Curry laced a two-out double to score Jessy Alfonso from second for the first score of the game.
Mercer responded in the next half inning when junior McKenzie Woody ripped off her second triple of the season to score both sophomore Molly Garmany and freshman Natalie Shiver. Woody later scored as she motored home on an FIU passed ball to give the Bears the 3-1 lead at the end of two.
The teams held each other scoreless over the next three innings before FIU would tie things up in the sixth. After Nidiffer issued a lead-off walk in the sixth, FIU's Amber Curry added two more RBI to her credit with a homerun to left field. Nidiffer settled things down and retired the side without further damage and the teams went into the final inning tied at three.
Shelbie Wagnon came into the game in relief back in the fifth and was allowed to start the seventh for FIU. The decision to leave Wagnon in the game did not fare well for the Panthers as Santana hit a lead-off homerun to center for her third homerun of the season.
Santana's solo shot turned out to be the game-winner as Nidffer induced a game-ending double play in the bottom of the seventh.
Mercer now returns home for the entire coming week, first hosting in-state rival Georgia State on Wednesday before opening up the three-day Mercer Bear Classic on Friday. Mercer welcomes in Central Arkansas, Northern Kentucky and UT-Chattanooga all next weekend.
