Wednesday, May 10
Chattanooga, Tenn.
10 AM ET
Mercer University
25-29
5
vs
3
Samford
22-35
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Samford | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bilgri, Megan (12-7)
L: Grey Adams (10-14)
S: Preston, Stella (8)
Batting:
HR: Taylor, Caroline 1
RBI: Rud, Meghan 1 ; Walsh, Abby 1 ; Rodgers, Taylor 1 ; Mauga, Quirisa 1 ; Taylor, Caroline 1
SH: Warren, Shaila 1 ; Castleberry, Danielle 1
SF: Walsh, Abby 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rud, Meghan 1 ; Taylor, Caroline 1 ; Andrew, Emma 1 ; Warren, Shaila 1 ; Castleberry, Danielle 1
CS: Miller, Taylor 1
HBP: Mauga, Quirisa 1
Batting:
2B: Kelsey Royalty 1
RBI: Shelby Maze 1 ; Kathryn Jackson 1
SH: Madison Couch 1
SF: Shelby Maze 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shelby Maze 1 ; Whitney Hinton 1 ; Kelsey Royalty 1
SB: Shelby Maze 1 ; Whitney Hinton 1
CS: Rebecca Leonard 1
HBP: Abbie Miranda 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballUTIL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball1B
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballMercer Rallies for 5-3 Win over Samford to Advance
5/10/2017 1:26:00 PM | Softball
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Meghan Rud was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and Stella Preston recorded her national-leading eight save – a mark that ties the Mercer career saves record – as a four-run fifth inning propelled fifth-seeded Mercer past No. 4 Samford, 5-3, in the first game of the Southern Conference Tournament.
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The win marked the 700th victory in program history for Mercer as the Bears have now won their opening game of the SoCon Tournament in every year the school has been a member of the league.
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Mercer (25-29) manufactured four runs on two hits, taking advantage of two Samford errors, after trailing 3-1 early in the game. The Bears only run to that point had been a solo home run by Caroline Taylor in the second inning.
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A walk and a pair of errors loaded the bases for the dangerous Rud, who ranks in the top 25 nationally in hits this season. The junior outfielder would drive a single through the right side for Mercer's first run of the inning. Taylor Rodgers would rip an RBI single to left center – sandwiched between a pair of sacrifice flies by Abby Walsh and Quirisa Mauga – as the Bears would claim their first lead of the game with a 5-3 advantage.
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Then head coach Stephanie DeFeo turned to the reliable Preston (8), the nation's save leader, as the freshman hurler allowed one walk before retiring the last eight Samford batters of the game.
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Megan Bilgri (12-7) was credited with the win after allowing only one earned run – three in all – on six hits in four innings. Ranked 17th nationally in walks allowed per seven innings, Bilgri was true to form and did not issue a free pass on the bases.
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Mercer now advances to face top-seeded UNCG (28-22) on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the SoCon Digital Network. The Bears won two of three games against the Spartans in the regular season.Â
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
Meghan Rud gets the nod for this honor after her 2-for-4 performance. Rud's single through the right side in the fifth inning – her first hit of the game – got the rally started as it drove in the first run of Mercer's four-run inning. She would eventually come around to score. But her impressive performance wasn't just limited to the batter's box. The junior tied a career high with six putouts in the outfield including a sliding catch that wowed the crowd.
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STAT OF THE GAME
Mercer was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate when Bear batters faced a runner on third and less than two outs. That ability to push runs across when the opportunity presented itself allowed the Bears to rally back from a 3-1 deficit and hold on to a 5-3 win.
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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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The win marked the 700th victory in program history for Mercer as the Bears have now won their opening game of the SoCon Tournament in every year the school has been a member of the league.
Â
Mercer (25-29) manufactured four runs on two hits, taking advantage of two Samford errors, after trailing 3-1 early in the game. The Bears only run to that point had been a solo home run by Caroline Taylor in the second inning.
Â
A walk and a pair of errors loaded the bases for the dangerous Rud, who ranks in the top 25 nationally in hits this season. The junior outfielder would drive a single through the right side for Mercer's first run of the inning. Taylor Rodgers would rip an RBI single to left center – sandwiched between a pair of sacrifice flies by Abby Walsh and Quirisa Mauga – as the Bears would claim their first lead of the game with a 5-3 advantage.
Â
Then head coach Stephanie DeFeo turned to the reliable Preston (8), the nation's save leader, as the freshman hurler allowed one walk before retiring the last eight Samford batters of the game.
Â
Megan Bilgri (12-7) was credited with the win after allowing only one earned run – three in all – on six hits in four innings. Ranked 17th nationally in walks allowed per seven innings, Bilgri was true to form and did not issue a free pass on the bases.
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Mercer now advances to face top-seeded UNCG (28-22) on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the SoCon Digital Network. The Bears won two of three games against the Spartans in the regular season.Â
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PLAYER OF THE GAME
Meghan Rud gets the nod for this honor after her 2-for-4 performance. Rud's single through the right side in the fifth inning – her first hit of the game – got the rally started as it drove in the first run of Mercer's four-run inning. She would eventually come around to score. But her impressive performance wasn't just limited to the batter's box. The junior tied a career high with six putouts in the outfield including a sliding catch that wowed the crowd.
Â
STAT OF THE GAME
Mercer was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate when Bear batters faced a runner on third and less than two outs. That ability to push runs across when the opportunity presented itself allowed the Bears to rally back from a 3-1 deficit and hold on to a 5-3 win.
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PITCHERS OF RECORD
- Win: Megan Bilgri, Mercer (12-7)
- Loss: Grey Adams, Samford (10-14)
- Save: Stella Preston, Mercer (8)
- Mercer: 25-29 (6-7 Neutral)
- Samford: 22-35 (8-11 Neutral)
- Mercer: vs. No. 1 UNCG on Thursday, May 11 at 12:30 p.m. in a winner's bracket game (SoCon Digital Network)
- Samford: vs. Loser of Game 6 on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. in an elimination game (SoCon Digital Network)
- With the win, Mercer has now won the first game of the SoCon Tournament in each year the program has been a member of the conference.
- The Bears are now 6-4 all-time in SoCon Tournament play.
- Mercer is now 32-36 all-time against Samford but has a 2-1 mark against the Bulldogs in SoCon Tournament play.
- Stella Preston extended her national lead with her eighth save of the season.
- Preston's eight saves ties the Mercer career record (8, Jenni Holtz, 2008-11).
- Preston's eight saves in a season ties for second in SoCon history.
- Meghan Rud now has 71 hits on the season, a mark that ranks fifth in Mercer's single-season record book.
- Rud's run scored marked her 42nd of the year, tying her for ninth in Mercer's single-season record book along with Sarah Santana (2013) and McKenzie Woody (2014).
- Quirisa Mauga was hit by a pitch in the game for the 12th time this season. She is now tied with Kassie Bailey (2012) for seventh all-time in Mercer's record books for times being hit by pitch in a season.
- Mauga's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning marked her 42nd RBI of the year, a number that leads the Southern Conference this season.
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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