Mercer University
Georgia St.
Bears Swept at Home By Georgia State
2/27/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Macon, Ga. – A homecoming midweek duel with in-state rival Georgia State ended in losing fashion as the Mercer softball team was swept by the Panthers 5-0 and 9-6 at Sikes Field on Wednesday.
Mercer (9-9, 0-0 A-Sun) moves to 5-3 at Sikes Field with the losses and Georgia State gets back above to the .500 mark at 8-7 overall. Mercer was get shut out for just the second time this season as Panthers starting pitcher Katie Worley threw a complete game allowing just three hits in game one. Game two saw Mercer blow its lead, allowing four runs to come across in the top of the seventh to fall in game two, 9-6.
Both junior Julia Rice and senior Kerri Nidiffer picked up losses on the day.
GAME ONE:
Georgia State starting pitcher Katie Worley came into Wednesday game one at 2-3 on the year and 5.65 ERA. She has just two complete games and allowed the second most runs on the team. However, she frustrated Mercer batters all game and carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning.
Mercer freshman Katlyn Haney hit a lead-off single through the left side to end the no-hitter, but she would advance no further as the Bears went down in order after the hit. MU left three runners on base in the game and committed two errors as Georgia State tagged Rice for five runs.
Julia Rice made her team-leading ninth start of the season in game one and threw her third complete game in the loss. Rice allowed 12 hits in the game, which tied for the second most allowed this season.
Mercer's Krista Kennedy and Rachel Hugghins each had hits in the game and junior McKenzie Woody ended a 13-game hitting streak, going 0-for-3 in game. One.
GAME TWO:
Mercer took an early advantage in game two as Rachel Hugghins extended her current hitting streak to four games when she laced a lead-off single in the bottom of the second inning. The hit was the first of three in the second and started a three-run rally.
After Natalie Shiver and Kristen Bretscher each reached base safely junior Randi Rea drove the two in off her second triple of the season. An RBI single by Woody drove in Rea from third for the Bears third run of the inning and Mercer took the early 3-0.
Mercer extended its lead in the third inning to 4-0 when freshman Ashton Holt drove in her 11th RBI of the season, scoring Krista Kennedy from second.
Georgia State senior Paige Nowacki led off a big fourth inning with a solo homerun and the Panther went on to score four more and take the lead, 5-4.
The Bears retook the lead in the bottom half of the inning of a bit of Georgia State misfortune. Georgia State shortstop Taylor Anderson allowed two Bears base runners to score off a pair of errors on the same play. MU's Krista Kennedy laced a hard line drive to short that Anderson misplayed allowing Woody and pinch runner Molly Garmany to score.
Kerri Nidiffer worked to shutdown the Georgia State threat in each of the next two innings before working into the seventh with the one-run, 6-5 lead. After loading the bases to start the seventh, Nidiffer gave up a grand slam homerun to Audrey Mason to right center which gave the Panthers the 9-6 lead.
Bretscher took over for Nidiffer in the seventh and recorded the final three outs to get out of the inning. Mercer failed to threaten in the bottom half of the inning and Georgia State was able to walk away with the sweep.
Mercer returns home this weekend for the Mercer Bear Classic, welcoming in Central Arkansas, Chattanooga, and Northern Kentucky to Sikes Field for the three-day event.
