Mercer University
Fla. Gulf Coast
Softball Sweeps Saturday Doubleheader at Florida Gulf Coast
4/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Mercer University softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of Florida Gulf Coast University at FGCU softball complex on Saturday with 5-1 and 7-1 wins.
Mercer (33-17, 15-8 Atlantic Sun) put together a complete effort to beat Florida Gulf Coast (28-23-1, 11-12 A-Sun). Mercer pitchers allowed a combined eight hits to the Eagles while getting 15 for themselves.
Thanks in large part to multi-hit games from senior McKenzie Woody and freshman Taylor Miller, and an outstanding pitching performance by freshman Kirsten Stevens (13-4), the Bears beat the Eagles 5-1 in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.
FGCU strung together a few hits in the fourth and scored a run, but Stevens stranded a runner on third to end the only threat the Eagles posed all game. She finished with a complete game win, allowing six base runners and fanning four. She improved her season ERA to 2.07.
Miller finished the game 3-for-3 with a run scored while fellow outfielder Woody went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Miller also had a spectacular catch at the wall in foul territory in the first inning as she reached over the outfield wall and pulled the ball back with her glove.
Freshman Caroline Taylor reached base safely in all four trips to the plate. She had an RBI-single in the first and then walked twice and was hit by a pitch. She also scored a run.
Game two unfolded much of the same way game one did with two Bears having multi-hit games and the starting pitcher allowing just six base runners in a 7-1 win. Senior Julia Rice (10-4) notched her tenth win as she allowed four hits, with two walks, and one unearned run while striking out two. She helped to strand five runners on the game.
Sophomore Kaytlin Haney and junior Kaylynn Sloat both had two hits on the game. Haney had a double and three RBIs, pushing her season total to 52. Sloat had a double and a homer with two RBIs and three runs scored. Sloat tied senior Krista Kennedy for second on the team with nine home runs this season.
Freshman Anna O'Neill closed out the game with a strikeout to put an exclamation point on the day for Mercer.
Mercer now has a four-game winning streak going after previously enduring a six-game skid.
The Bears final game of the year will be tomorrow at noon right here at the FGCU Softball Complex. Follow all things Bears on Twitter @MercerUSoftball.
