Mercer University
Buffalo
Mercer Splits Games on Opening Day of Black & Orange Challenge
2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga. – On the opening day of the Black and Orange Challenge, Mercer split a pair of games to the University at Buffalo, 8-1, and the University of Evansville, 4-6, moving the Bears to 8-9 on the season.
Final – Mercer 8, Buffalo 1
In the first game of the day, Buffalo jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first aided by a Mercer error. Bears pitcher Kirsten Stevens quickly found her groove, striking out the last two batter of the inning. Mercer quickly answered with a run of their own, as Riley Carter got the fireworks started early with a solo blast to left center tying the game at one apiece.
Mercer would extend their lead during a big third inning on two hits and six Buffalo errors. Meghan Rud began the offensive, stealing home on a wild pitch. Carter would add another run on a RBI sack fly to score Taylor Miller. Kaytlin Haney furthered the lead with an RBI single before being driven in herself by Taylor Rogers. Rogers would close out the scoring in the third by adding a run on a wild pitch stretching the lead to 6-1.
The Bears would push another run across in the fifth, as Shayla Kicklighter singled through the left side for an RBI scoring Rodgers, before adding the final score of the game in the sixth on Kaylynn Sloat's RBI double to right center.
Stevens provided a dominating performance in the circle for Mercer, retiring fifteen batters straight through four and a half innings. Stevens would close out her fifth complete game of the season with ten strikeouts, one base on balls, and three hits.
Final – Evansville 6, Mercer 4
Evansville started the second contest of the day off with one run in the first inning off of a wild pitch from Carter. The Aces would hold the lead until the bottom of the third. Mercer took its first lead of the night in large part to Caroline Taylor's lead off homerun. The Bears had a chance to bust the game open, with bases loaded. Sloat was hit by a pitch to walk in Emma Andrew, but were unable to take advantage of the runners in scoring position, leaving three runners stranded to close the inning.
Evansville tied the game in the top of the fourth on a solo-home run. Both Evansville and Mercer would go hitless through the fifth, but the Aces found their bats again in the sixth. Evansville scored three runs on three hits and an error to push their lead to 5-2. Mercer would leave two runners on in the bottom of the sixth to send the game into the seventh inning.
Evansville added their final run in the top of the seventh on a dead ball play that advanced the runner on third to home. Mercer attempted to claw their way back into the game in their final at bat. Miller doubled through the left side to lead off the inning, setting up an RBI double for Carter.
Sloat was hit by another pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Quirisa Mauga drew the walk to load the bases for the Bears. Rogers sack fly to right field advanced the runners scoring Carter to make the score 6-4. The rally, however, would come up just short as Taylor and Jastine Alaan would both go down swinging to end the game.
Mercer will be back in action tomorrow, starting at 2:30 p.m. in a rematch against Evansville before facing Buffalo at 4:45 p.m. On the final day of the challenge, March 1st, Mercer will faceoff against former A-Sun Conference foe Kennesaw State at 2:00 p.m.
Stay tuned to MercerBears.com for live stats and boxscores and be sure to follow Mercer softball on social media (Twitter / Facebook / Instagram) to keep up with all things Mercer Softball.
