Mercer University
Boston College
Softball Falls In Black & Orange Challenge Championship
3/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University softball team finished as the runner up in the Black & Orange Challenge, falling to Boston College 9-1 in five innings on Sunday, March 6 at Sikes Field.
FINAL – Boston College 9, Mercer 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
Two strong innings in the circle from Maxine Rodriguez weren't enough as Boston College's bats picked up 11 hits and came alive in the third, fourth and fifth innings to claim the Black & Orange Challenge championship. Mercer scored its lone run in the top of the fifth inning as a double steal by Meghan Rud and Megan Lane allowed Lane to score from third base.
Four defensive errors plagued Mercer, as only seven of Boston College's nine runs were earned. The Eagles averaged 8.2 runs per game en route to a perfect 5-0 record in the Black & Orange Challenge and improved to 12-8 overall.
Rodriguez (3.1 innings pitched) took the loss in the circle for Mercer while Jill McElderry and Megan Bilgri totaled 1.1 innings pitched in relief.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Meghan Rud had the only multi-hit game for the Bears, going 2-for-3 at the plate. The junior centerfielder was key in Mercer scoring its only run in the fifth inning as her stolen base allowed Megan Lane to score from third base. Rud is now 7-of-8 in stolen base attempts and has 21 hits on the season, both second-best figures on the team behind Taylor Miller.
NOTABLES
-
Meghan Rud's multi-hit performance (2-for-3) against Boston College was her seventh such feat of the season and the 25th time in her career that she's totaled at least two hits in a game.
-
Megan Bilgri struck out two batters in one inning of relief in the circle. Bilgri has recorded at least one strikeout in her last four appearances.
-
Shaila Warren's double in the top of the third inning was her fifth extra-base hit of the season. She's tied with Natalie Shiver for second on the team in that category, trailing Emma Andrew (5).
-
Sunday's loss snapped a three-game win streak for Mercer, its longest of the season. Mercer will look to get another winning streak rolling, as five of the Bears' six opponents over the next week have losing records.
RECORD UPDATE
Mercer falls to 7-14 overall with its 9-1 loss in five innings to Boston College in the Black & Orange Challenge championship.
UP NEXT
The Bears will enjoy spring break in Florida, playing seven games over a five-day stretch starting with a mid-week doubleheader at Florida A&M (5-11) in Tallahassee, Fla. on Wednesday, March 9. The game times are 4 and 6 p.m.
Florida A&M lost 4-1 to No. 1 Florida on Sunday in the Aquafina Invitational in Gainesville, Fla., finishing a 0-5 weekend for the Rattlers at the tournament. Their other four losses came to Illinois State (twice), South Alabama and Florida International.
Mercer will then head further south and participate in the FAU Invitational Tournament at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla. from March 11-13. The Bears will face Rutgers, Long Island, Robert Morris, Minnesota and Massachusetts in the tournament.
STAY SOCIAL
Follow @MercerUSoftball on Twitter and Instagram or visit the team's official Facebook page for up-to-date information on the Bears' softball program.
