Mercer University
Chattanooga
Late Outburst Vaults Softball Past UTC, Into SoCon Semifinals
5/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Softball
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Locked in a 4-4 tie heading into the seventh inning, the Mercer University softball team scored three runs to defeat Chattanooga, 7-4, en route to a Southern Conference Tournament semifinal appearance on Thursday, May 12 at UNCG Softball Complex.
No. 7 Mercer will take on regular season champion Samford, the tournament's No. 1 seed, at noon on Friday, May 13 in the winner's bracket semifinal game.
FINAL – Mercer 7, UTC 4
HOW IT HAPPENED
In a strange sequence, the Bears plated two runs, including the go-ahead one, on a fielder's choice play that saw a Chattanooga throw deflect off of Emma Andrew's helmet while she attempted to score. With the bases loaded and one out, a ground ball by Taylor Rodgers to third base led to the eventual throw off of Andrew's helmet. Andrew and Meghan Rud scored on the play, giving Mercer a 6-4 lead before extending it to 7-4 on a RBI-single by Shaila Warren.
The runs provided plenty of cushion for starting pitcher Megan Bilgri to slam the door shut on the Mocs and complete her second complete game gem in as many days, scattering four runs on eight hits while striking out three batters.
UTC struck first in the bottom of the opening frame on a RBI-double by Ashley Conner, scoring Sam Taylor, who led off the inning with a double. Trailing until the fifth, Mercer squandered a pair of promising threats in the third and fourth with two runners on and only one out in both situations. The Mocs added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run by Jordan Fortel, making it 2-0, but Mercer found life shortly after.
After Maxine Rodriguez led off the fifth by reaching on a UTC error and was followed by a single from Kaytlin Haney, the Bears finally squared things up on the scoreboard. Rud connected for a two-RBI double to left field with the bases loaded, scoring pinch-runner Catie Josselet and Haney.
Mercer appeared to take control in the sixth when Quirisa Mauga blasted a go-ahead two-run home run to center field, but the Mocs responded with a blast of their own by Amanda Beltran in the home half. The long balls made it a 4-4 contest before the Bears put the game away in the final frame.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
The Bears received huge hits from the likes of Rud and Mauga, but it was once again Bilgri who made the biggest difference on Thursday with a gutsy performance. After throwing all nine innings in Wednesday's opening round thriller against Furman, Bilgri came back with her team-best ninth complete game of the season to propel Mercer into the SoCon semifinals.
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MERCER STAT OF THE DAY
Mauga has owned the Chattanooga pitching staff in four games played this season. The sophomore is batting .538 (7-for-13) with five extra-base hits, including three home runs, and seven RBIs against the Mocs. She was 1-for-3 with her go-ahead blast on Thursday.
NOTABLES
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With Mercer's win on Thursday, the Bears cut Chattanooga's all-time series lead to 25-14. The two teams are 2-2 against one another this season while the Mocs own a 2-1 advantage in SoCon Tournament play.
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In her 16 innings pitched in the SoCon Tournament, opponents are hitting only .222 (16-for-72) against Bilgri. She has also struck out three batters in consecutive games, marking the first time of her career that she's done so.
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Rud has heated up in Greensboro this week as she has back-to-back two-hit games and RBIs in both contests as well. She was in a 14-game RBI drought entering the tournament. The centerfielder also stole a base, giving her 21 for the season.
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Shiver started her 216th career game on Wednesday, passing McKenzie Woody (2011-14) for sole place of fourth all-time in Mercer History.
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Shiver additionally extended her hitting streak to a season-best eight games with a single in the fourth inning. Taylor Miller's 17-game hitting streak came to an end with an 0-for-2 performance. It was the longest streak of the season for a Bear.
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Andrew had her first multi-hit game since April 10, going 2-for-3 while scoring the game-winning run. Her leadoff single in the seventh sparked the Bears' three-run frame.
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The Bears improved to 8-4 in their last three seasons of postseason play, five wins of which have come in the SoCon Tournament. They went 3-2 last season en route to a SoCon Championship appearance.
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After going six up, six down in the first two innings, Mercer had its leadoff batter reach base in five straight innings.
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Mauga's two-run home run is her seventh of the season, tying her with Shiver for the team-lead.
RECORD UPDATE
Mercer improved to 23-33 with the 7-4 victory over Chattanooga on Thursday. The Bears are 2-0 in SoCon Tournament play so far this week.
UP NEXT
The Orange and Black will face No. 1 seed and regular season champion Samford (38-18) in the SoCon Tournament winner's bracket semifinal game at noon on Friday, May 13. A win by the Bears would vault them into their third consecutive league championship game appearance.
The Bulldogs cruised into the semifinal contest with a 3-0 win over UNCG following a first-round bye. SoCon Pitcher of the Year Mollie Hanson tossed the third-ever SoCon Tournament no-hitter, needing only 63 pitches to get by the Spartans.
Mercer was swept by Samford in the opening weekend of SoCon play on March 25-26. Hanson earned the win in all three games as Samford won 11-6, 6-1 and 10-3.
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.
