Mercer University
Kennesaw St.
Bears Bats Go Quiet in Pair of Losses to Kennesaw State
3/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Softball
KENNESAW, Ga. - A walk-off RBI single by Kennesaw State's Sara Sikes in the seventh inning of game two sealed the Owls doubleheader sweep of Mercer on Wednesday night from Bailey Field in Kennesaw.
The Bears (14-14, 3-2 A-Sun) were limited to seven hits between the two games and fell by scores of 3-0 and 2-1 to move to 3-2 in the Atlantic Sun. The Owls (18-6, 2-0 A-Sun) picked up two wins in their first action of league play this season. Mercer senior pitcher Kerri Nidiffer made her 10th start of the year and moved to 7-8 overall with the loss in game one.
MU's Julia Rice received the start in game two and limited KSU to just three hits through six innings of work before allowing the game-winning to come across in the bottom of the seventh. In throwing her sixth complete game of the season, Rice unfortunately moves to 7-5 with the loss.
The same two teams finish up the season three-game series next week as the Owls head to Macon for one mid-week game on Wednesday.
GAME ONE:
Game one was dictated by Kennesaw State starting pitcher Amanda Henderson. Henderson came into the game unblemished in 2013 with a 9-0 record and leading the A-Sun in strikeouts. In her eighth complete game of the season, Henderson allowed just three hits while striking out eight Mercer batters en route to her fourth shutout of the season.
Mercer received a solid outing of its own from its starting pitcher, senior Kerri Nidiffer. Nidiffer allowed just one hit over the first three innings before KSU's Sharon Swanson gave the Owls the outright lead with a two-run homerun in the fourth.
The Owls then plated another run in the bottom of the fifth when KSU's Sara Sikes lined a shot to second that hit off the glove of freshman Kaytlin Haney and trickled into right center. The hit ended up scoring Kara Chambers from second. Nidiffer allowed just the three runs off eight hits in her sixth complete game of the season.
Junior Krista Kennedy had the lone extra base hit in the game for the Bears, tagging a leadoff double in the second. Kennedy was one of just three players to record a hit in the game for Mercer with junior Randi Rea and Kaytlin Haney both tallying singles in game one.
GAME TWO:
Coming into Wednesday's doubleheader Mercer was 7-1 when scoring first. That record moved to 7-2 as the Owls were able to secure the come-from-behind victory in game two.
The Bears were the first to strike in the top of the third as freshman Marissa Botz scored junior Randi Rea from third off a bloop single to left. Botz's RBI was the fourth of the season for the freshman from Katy, Texas.
Through the first three innings Mercer starting pitcher Julia Rice performed well in allowing just one hit and stranding two base runners. That is until, KSU's Swanson made her presence felt again. Swanson singlehandedly tied things up in the bottom of the fourth off her second homerun of the day.
Rice rebounded and allowed just two more hits heading into the seventh. After retiring the Owls first batter of the final inning, Rice gave up a double, walked a batter and then two singles, the final of which was the Sikes walk-off single to left center.
Mercer produced just four hits in game two as Kennesaw State's Abbey Mixon moved to 7-2 on the year with five strikeouts in the game.
Mercer continues its five-game road trip this weekend heading to Highland Heights, Kentucky to take on Northern Kentucky in a three-game set beginning on Saturday.
