Mercer University
IPFW
Krista Kennedy Hits Walk-off to Lead Softball into Mercer Bear Classic Championship
3/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga. – Senior Krista Kennedy came up big in a clutch situation to send the Mercer softball team into the championship game on Sunday of the Mercer Bear Classic at Sikes Field, Saturday.
The Bears split their two games of the day, but the ending of game two wiped away the loss of game one.
GAME ONE – MU 2, IPFW 5
The Bears lineup battled for seven innings against IPFW pitcher Miranda Kramer but couldn't quite get enough runners across the plate.
Senior McKenzie Woody and junior Riley Carter gave Kramer the most headaches as Woody made it on base twice (one hit, one walk) and scored a run, while Carter drew three walks. Junior Kaylynn Sloat also scored a run after being hit by a pitch and stealing second and third. Both Sloat and Woody scored on sophomore Kaytlin Haney's single in the fifth.
Freshman Kirsten Stevens started the game and pitched a solid 4.2 innings. She allowed two runs on five hits and struck out three. She was pulled in the fifth inning, after giving up her second run, in favor of fellow freshman Anna O'Neill.
"She wasn't finishing," pitching coach Kim Mazzapica said. "It was the fourth time through the lineup and hitters were adjusting to her. She got to where she wasn't finishing off hitters, so we made the decision to pull her."
O'Neill was cruising through IPFW's lineup, until the seventh when the catcher for the Mastodons, Dani Pugh, hit a three run home run out to left center. The Bears were not able to recover from the deficit.
GAME TWO – MU 6, Marist 5
Kennedy sent the team and the fans home happy when she hit a single up the middle, just underneath the shortstop's glove, that plated the tying run, Woody, and the winning run, Haney, to beat the Red Foxes. Kennedy finished the game 2 for 4 with those two RBIs and a run scored.
Junior Molly Garmany got the late inning comeback started when she hit a pinch-hit solo home run to lead-off the seventh. That ignited a spark in Mercer's lineup as Woody singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Katlin Haney then walked. Both Woody and Haney executed a double steal to put runners on second and third with no outs. Carter then walked leaving nowhere to put Kennedy, who delivered the walk-off hit.
The Bears saw a terrific pitching performance from senior Julia Rice. She pitched from start to finish allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits while striking out seven. She battled back a number of times with runners in scoring position and stranded four Marist base runners. She also did not allow a walk.
"Julia (Rice) was very efficient with her pitches," coach Mazzapica said. "She made her pitch whenever she had to and hit her spots with authority."
The dramatic win means that Mercer is slated for a rematch against IPFW in the Mercer Bear Classic Championship. Undoubtedly, the Bears will face Kramer again, but coach Mazzapica thinks the second opportunity will see a different ending.
"We have to attack her mistakes, and lay off her high pitches. She got us a lot on those and we didn't take advantage enough of her mistakes. We do that, we'll have a good shot at winning."
Since Mercer is the lower seed, they will technically be the away team in the championship game. That game is slated to start at 2:15 p.m.
