Saturday, April 22
Birmingham, Ala.
4 PM ET
Mercer University
21-27, 7-7
6
at
4
Samford
20-29, 8-6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| Samford | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 2 |
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Neill, Anna (1-2)
L: Rebecca Leonard (1-5)
S: Preston, Stella (5)
Batting:
2B: Lane, Megan 1
RBI: Lane, Megan 3 ; Rodriguez, Maxine 1 ; Andrew, Emma 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rud, Meghan 2 ; Miller, Taylor 2 ; Lane, Megan 1 ; Castleberry, Danielle 1
SB: Miller, Taylor 2 ; Lane, Megan 2
HBP: Mauga, Quirisa 1 ; Castleberry, Danielle 1
Batting:
2B: Abby Sweeney 1 ; Hannah Trombley 1
HR: Abby Sweeney 1
RBI: Abby Sweeney 2 ; Hannah Trombley 2
SH: Abbie Miranda 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Abby Sweeney 1 ; Kelsey Royalty 2 ; Lexie Higgins 1
SB: Kelsey Royalty 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
dp/c
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballC/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
Photo by: Bill Hirsh
Preston Notches Record Save as Bears Rally for Win
4/22/2017 9:51:00 PM | Softball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Good things come to those who wait. That was the case for Mercer and Stella Preston Saturday night as a 70-minute rain delay kept the two waiting for a 6-4 win and a new single season saves record for Preston.
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Mercer (21-27, 7-7 Southern) had runners on second and third in the midst of a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh before inclement weather forced a 70-minute delay. The Bears immediately pounced on the situation as Megan Lane ripped a single to right to drive in one run and break the tie. Two batters later, Emma Andrew drew a bases loaded walk for the 6-4 lead.
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Preston (5) entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and sat the Bulldogs (20-29, 8-6) down in order to claim a Mercer single season record in saves. Her five saves ranks ninth in Southern Conference history for saves in a single season and is tied for second in the nation this year.
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Anna O'Neill (1-2) was credited with the win after pitching 2.1 innings in relief, allowing one run off five hits and striking out two. She did not issue a walk as she claimed her first win of the season.
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Lane, who drove in the game-winning run, tied a career-high three hits and drove in three runs in four at bats while scoring a run herself. She also stole two bases in the contest, as did Taylor Miller.
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The win pulls Mercer just a half-game behind Samford in the SoCon standings and ties the series at one game apiece. The rubber game of the three-game set is scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT start on Sunday and will be broadcast live on the SoCon Digital Network.
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
Stella Preston's save is impressive, especially for a freshman, but Megan Lane could not be stopped at the plate Saturday evening. She tied a career-best three hits in her 3-for-4 performance at the plate. She also drove in three runs and stole two bases.
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STAT OF THE GAME
When the Bears needed a hit in a clutch situation, they seemed to get it. Mercer was 3-for-5 (.600) from the plate in the game with runners on third and less than two outs. That allowed Mercer to score more runs (6) in the game than the Bears have in the last eight games they have played.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
For complete coverage of Mercer Softball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerUSoftball (Twitter), /MercerSoftball (Facebook) and @MercerUSoftball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Mercer (21-27, 7-7 Southern) had runners on second and third in the midst of a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh before inclement weather forced a 70-minute delay. The Bears immediately pounced on the situation as Megan Lane ripped a single to right to drive in one run and break the tie. Two batters later, Emma Andrew drew a bases loaded walk for the 6-4 lead.
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Preston (5) entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and sat the Bulldogs (20-29, 8-6) down in order to claim a Mercer single season record in saves. Her five saves ranks ninth in Southern Conference history for saves in a single season and is tied for second in the nation this year.
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Anna O'Neill (1-2) was credited with the win after pitching 2.1 innings in relief, allowing one run off five hits and striking out two. She did not issue a walk as she claimed her first win of the season.
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Lane, who drove in the game-winning run, tied a career-high three hits and drove in three runs in four at bats while scoring a run herself. She also stole two bases in the contest, as did Taylor Miller.
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The win pulls Mercer just a half-game behind Samford in the SoCon standings and ties the series at one game apiece. The rubber game of the three-game set is scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT start on Sunday and will be broadcast live on the SoCon Digital Network.
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
Stella Preston's save is impressive, especially for a freshman, but Megan Lane could not be stopped at the plate Saturday evening. She tied a career-best three hits in her 3-for-4 performance at the plate. She also drove in three runs and stole two bases.
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STAT OF THE GAME
When the Bears needed a hit in a clutch situation, they seemed to get it. Mercer was 3-for-5 (.600) from the plate in the game with runners on third and less than two outs. That allowed Mercer to score more runs (6) in the game than the Bears have in the last eight games they have played.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
- Win: Anna O'Neill, Mercer (1-2)
- Loss: Rebecca Leonard, Samford (1-5)
- Save: Stella Preston (5)
- Mercer: 21-27 (7-7 SoCon)
- Samford: 20-29 (8-6 SoCon)
- Stella Preston recorded her fifth save of the season, setting a new Mercer single season record.
- Preston's five saves in the season ranks tied for ninth in Southern Conference history.
- The five saves by Stella Preston this season ranks tied for second nationally this year.
- With the win, Mercer cuts Samford's lead in the all-time series to 35-31.
- The Bears have a 6-3 advantage in known games in Birmingham in the series.
- The win Saturday evening ended a five-game losing streak to the Bulldogs.
- Megan Lane tied a career-high three hits in the game matching the three hits she had against Maryland in 2016.
For complete coverage of Mercer Softball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerUSoftball (Twitter), /MercerSoftball (Facebook) and @MercerUSoftball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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