Mercer University
Georgia
Softball Drops Both Ends of Doubleheader at Georgia
2/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
ATHENS, Ga. – Pitching, which had been the strength of the Mercer softball team, proved to be the weakness as they lost both games of Monday's doubleheader against 23/21 ranked Georgia at Jack Turner Stadium.
Mercer pitchers, after holding Furman scoreless in a doubleheader on Saturday, gave up 12 total runs on Monday.
GAME 1
Mercer fell to Georgia and ace pitcher Chelsea Wilkinson 8-0 in five innings. The Bears could not muster a hit against Wilkinson as she fell two walks and a hit-batsman shy of a perfect game. In all, 18 batters stepped into the box and Wilkinson sent nine of them back to the bench, bat in hand.
Senior Julia Rice got her second start of the season, but found the Bulldog lineup less than hospitable. She was touched up for five runs while only recording one out. Junior Rachel Hugghins relieved her and finished the game, but Georgia put two runs on the board in the third and one more in the fifth to seal the run-rule of an eight run lead after five innings.
Senior Krista Kennedy, junior Kaylynn Sloat, and freshman Caroline Taylor were the only Mercer hitters to reach base. Kennedy managed a two-out steal in the second, but was stranded as the next batter grounded out.
GAME 2
The Bears fared much better in the second half of the doubleheader, but still fell to the Bulldogs 7-5. Freshman Anna O'Neill faced her first real test of her collegiate career and was saddled with her first loss.
The game was rocky from the get-go as O'Neill was called three times for an illegal pitch in the first inning. Georgia managed two runs from those illegal pitch calls; however O'Neill kept her cool and halted the Bulldogs scoring there.
Mercer came back in the top of the second a scored two runs to tie. Senior Krista Kennedy led off with a walk and then freshman Caroline Taylor singled. After freshman Anna Cizek pinch ran for Taylor and sophomore Natalie Shiver laid down a sac bunt, junior Molly Garmany reached on a botched fielder's choice by the Georgia third baseman that allowed Kennedy and Cizek to score.
The Bears would not have much time to enjoy the tie, though, as the Bulldogs retook the lead in the bottom of the second on a passed ball. That would be all for O'Neill as freshman Kirsten Stevens came in relief.
Two innings would pass with only a one run deficit, until the fifth when Georgia added four to the score. Mercer refused to let that be it, though, as they countered with three runs of their own in the top of the sixth. Freshman Korrissa Aguilar, junior Kaylynn Sloat, and freshman Taylor Miller all crossed the plate to cut a five-run lead to two. Hopes were shattered, though, when Georgia brought in game one starter Wilkinson to close out the game. She earned her first save of the season.
Mercer will be back in action this Friday in Orlando, Florida at the Diamond 9 Citrus Classic as they take on Delaware at 11 a.m. The Bears will return home Friday, February 28th, when they will begin the Mercer Bear Classic and play host to Marist. First pitch for that game is slated for 3:30 p.m.
