Mercer University
Stetson
Softball to Face Stetson for Atlantic Sun Tournament Championship Saturday
5/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – On Saturday afternoon at Draper Diamond at Smith Stadium, the Mercer University softball team has an opportunity to do something it has never done before: win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.
Mercer (37-18) will play Stetson (37-12) for the title. The Bears have been runners-up twice in program history, once in 2009 and once back in 1989, but they have never won the whole thing. Tomorrow will be a day of firsts for the Atlantic Sun Tournament in a day that will see Mercer's last with A-Sun softball.
The A-Sun has never had a season, until this one, in which both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds were eliminated before the championship game. No. 1 USC Upstate lost to Mercer on Thursday and then again to Florida Gulf Coast on Friday while No. 2 Lipscomb lost twice on Thursday (Stetson and USC Upstate beat them) without scoring a run. After beating the Spartans, FGCU was then eliminated by Mercer in an 11-inning thriller to set up the Mercer/Stetson championship game.
Mercer, including this year, has not fared well in the Tournament when playing Stetson. The Bears and Hatters have squared off 11 times with the Hatters winning 10 of those games. In order for the Bears to get the ring on Saturday, they will have to win two against Stetson. A championship ring would cap off an improbable run by Mercer who has won all of its tournament games by one run.
The first game of the championship will start at noon central time (1:00 p.m. eastern) and will be broadcasted on ESPN3. Should Mercer win, the second game will follow around 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
Follow Bears softball on Twitter @MercerUSoftball.
