Mercer Announces 2019 Softball Schedule
12/7/2018 9:30:00 AM | Softball
MACON, Ga. – Mercer Softball Head Coach Stephanie DeFeo has announced the team's complete 2019 schedule Friday, revealing the 55-game regular season slate. Mercer's schedule is highlighted by a trio of home tournaments, as well as 28 home contests at Sikes Field. The Bears will also travel to play Georgia Tech and Florida and will compete in tournaments at South Alabama, Gardner-Webb and Auburn.
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To see the full schedule on MercerBears.com, click here.
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"We are looking forward to a challenging schedule both on the road and at Sikes Field," commented DeFeo. "I feel that our non-conference schedule will get us prepared to compete at a high level once we start conference play."
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NOT AN EASY ROAD
Mercer's schedule features 11 teams that tallied 30 or more wins a season ago, five of which advanced to compete in postseason play. The Bears' non-conference slate is highlighted by Florida, competing in the 2018 College World Series for the second consecutive season and fourth time in the last five years. The Gators held the College World Series trophy in both 2014 and 2015. Four of Mercer's competitors reached 40 wins a season ago, including conference foes UNCG and Furman.
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TOURING THE TOURNAMENTS
Mercer will partake in six tournament this season, including three at Sikes Field. The Bears will play 30 of their first 32 games in tournament play. Mercer will kick off the season with the Mercer Invitational, hosting Rutgers, Army and Jacksonville State. The Bears will then travel to Mobile, Ala., to compete in the Jaguar Challenge against Lipscomb, Tulsa, North Dakota and tournament host South Alabama. The Bears will host their second tournament, the Black & Orange Challenge, featuring Akron, Loyola Chicago, Indiana and North Carolina A&T. Mercer will then compete in consecutive road tournaments beginning at the Red and Black Tournament (Wright State, Maryland Eastern Shore, South Carolina State, Gardner-Webb) and concluding with the War Eagle Challenge (Louisville, Radford, Michigan State, Auburn). The final regular season tournament for the Bears will be the Mercer Bears Classic where Mercer will play host to Cleveland State, South Dakota, UConn and Ball State.
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JOURNEY TO THE SOCON TITLE
Mercer will open its 18-game Southern Conference schedule with a home series against the Western Carolina Catamounts on March 30-31. The Bears will also host Chattanooga (April 13-14) and defending SoCon Champions UNCG (April 27-28). Mercer's road league series consists of ETSU (April 6-7), Samford (April 19-20) and Furman (May 4-5).
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WHO ARE THEY NOW?
Despite graduating four every day starters and two starting pitchers, the Bears return a handful of familiar faces that received SoCon Postseason honors a season ago. Micayla Rood returns to the diamond after becoming the program's first-ever SoCon Freshman of the Year. Rood was joined by Megan Lane on the All-SoCon First Team. In the circle, the Bears return All-SoCon Second Team honoree Stella Preston. The Bears will also welcome back senior left fielder Shaila Warren and All-SoCon Freshman honorees, Allie Jones and Laurenne Sanchez.
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2019 OPPONENT SNAPSHOT (2018 Records)
Rutgers (19-31, 4-16 Big 10)
Army (26-28, 10-8 Patriot)
Jacksonville State (35-25, 16-6 OVC) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Georgia Southern (28-25, 12-15 Sun Belt)
Tulsa (34-25, 10-11 American) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Lipscomb (33-17, 9-8 ASUN)
South Alabama (29-27, 13-13 Sun Belt)
North Dakota (26-27, 10-8 Big Sky)
Akron (4-43-1, 3-21 MAC)
Loyola Chicago (23-27, 9-16 MVC)
Indiana (26-30, 17-6 Big 10)
North Carolina A&T (7-37, 4-11 MEAC)
Wright State (21-32, 12-10 Horizon)
Maryland Eastern Shore (4-35, 1-17 MEAC)
South Carolina State (2-30, 2-12 MEAC)
Gardner-Webb (29-29, 8-13 Big South)
Louisville (33-20, 10-12 ACC)
Radford (36-19, 13-8 Big South)
Michigan State (24-28, 10-11 Big 10)
Auburn (41-17, 11-12 SEC) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Georgia Tech (28-26, 13-11 ACC)
Cleveland State (15-34, 5-17 Horizon)
South Dakota (17-38, 5-9 Summit)
UConn (20-35, 5-16 American)
Ball State (37-19, 16-7 MAC)
Georgia State (31-24, 14-11 Sun Belt)
Florida (56-11, 20-4 SEC) *2018 College World Series*
Alabama State (23-31, 10-8 SWAC)
Western Carolina (15-37, 2-15 SoCon)
Florida A&M (19-21)
ETSU (19-27, 4-11 SoCon)
Chattanooga (26-30, 9-7 SoCon)
Samford (19-38, 7-9 SoCon)
UNCG (46-13, 13-3 SoCon) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Furman (41-15, 10-6 SoCon)
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Follow the Bears
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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To see the full schedule on MercerBears.com, click here.
Â
"We are looking forward to a challenging schedule both on the road and at Sikes Field," commented DeFeo. "I feel that our non-conference schedule will get us prepared to compete at a high level once we start conference play."
Â
NOT AN EASY ROAD
Mercer's schedule features 11 teams that tallied 30 or more wins a season ago, five of which advanced to compete in postseason play. The Bears' non-conference slate is highlighted by Florida, competing in the 2018 College World Series for the second consecutive season and fourth time in the last five years. The Gators held the College World Series trophy in both 2014 and 2015. Four of Mercer's competitors reached 40 wins a season ago, including conference foes UNCG and Furman.
Â
TOURING THE TOURNAMENTS
Mercer will partake in six tournament this season, including three at Sikes Field. The Bears will play 30 of their first 32 games in tournament play. Mercer will kick off the season with the Mercer Invitational, hosting Rutgers, Army and Jacksonville State. The Bears will then travel to Mobile, Ala., to compete in the Jaguar Challenge against Lipscomb, Tulsa, North Dakota and tournament host South Alabama. The Bears will host their second tournament, the Black & Orange Challenge, featuring Akron, Loyola Chicago, Indiana and North Carolina A&T. Mercer will then compete in consecutive road tournaments beginning at the Red and Black Tournament (Wright State, Maryland Eastern Shore, South Carolina State, Gardner-Webb) and concluding with the War Eagle Challenge (Louisville, Radford, Michigan State, Auburn). The final regular season tournament for the Bears will be the Mercer Bears Classic where Mercer will play host to Cleveland State, South Dakota, UConn and Ball State.
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JOURNEY TO THE SOCON TITLE
Mercer will open its 18-game Southern Conference schedule with a home series against the Western Carolina Catamounts on March 30-31. The Bears will also host Chattanooga (April 13-14) and defending SoCon Champions UNCG (April 27-28). Mercer's road league series consists of ETSU (April 6-7), Samford (April 19-20) and Furman (May 4-5).
Â
WHO ARE THEY NOW?
Despite graduating four every day starters and two starting pitchers, the Bears return a handful of familiar faces that received SoCon Postseason honors a season ago. Micayla Rood returns to the diamond after becoming the program's first-ever SoCon Freshman of the Year. Rood was joined by Megan Lane on the All-SoCon First Team. In the circle, the Bears return All-SoCon Second Team honoree Stella Preston. The Bears will also welcome back senior left fielder Shaila Warren and All-SoCon Freshman honorees, Allie Jones and Laurenne Sanchez.
Â
2019 OPPONENT SNAPSHOT (2018 Records)
Rutgers (19-31, 4-16 Big 10)
Army (26-28, 10-8 Patriot)
Jacksonville State (35-25, 16-6 OVC) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Georgia Southern (28-25, 12-15 Sun Belt)
Tulsa (34-25, 10-11 American) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Lipscomb (33-17, 9-8 ASUN)
South Alabama (29-27, 13-13 Sun Belt)
North Dakota (26-27, 10-8 Big Sky)
Akron (4-43-1, 3-21 MAC)
Loyola Chicago (23-27, 9-16 MVC)
Indiana (26-30, 17-6 Big 10)
North Carolina A&T (7-37, 4-11 MEAC)
Wright State (21-32, 12-10 Horizon)
Maryland Eastern Shore (4-35, 1-17 MEAC)
South Carolina State (2-30, 2-12 MEAC)
Gardner-Webb (29-29, 8-13 Big South)
Louisville (33-20, 10-12 ACC)
Radford (36-19, 13-8 Big South)
Michigan State (24-28, 10-11 Big 10)
Auburn (41-17, 11-12 SEC) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Georgia Tech (28-26, 13-11 ACC)
Cleveland State (15-34, 5-17 Horizon)
South Dakota (17-38, 5-9 Summit)
UConn (20-35, 5-16 American)
Ball State (37-19, 16-7 MAC)
Georgia State (31-24, 14-11 Sun Belt)
Florida (56-11, 20-4 SEC) *2018 College World Series*
Alabama State (23-31, 10-8 SWAC)
Western Carolina (15-37, 2-15 SoCon)
Florida A&M (19-21)
ETSU (19-27, 4-11 SoCon)
Chattanooga (26-30, 9-7 SoCon)
Samford (19-38, 7-9 SoCon)
UNCG (46-13, 13-3 SoCon) *2018 NCAA Regional*
Furman (41-15, 10-6 SoCon)
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Follow the Bears
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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