Mercer to Host Annual Black & Orange Challenge

Friday, February 22

Macon, Ga.

3:30 P.M.

Mercer University

Akron

Mercer to Host Annual Black & Orange Challenge

2/21/2019 12:10:00 PM | Softball

Mercer will play five games against Akron, Loyola Chicago, Indiana and North Carolina A&T

By: Mary Bess Skinner

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will play host to four teams this weekend as it hosts the annual Black & Orange Challenge, featuring 12 total games on Feb. 22-24 at Sikes Field.

The tournament will feature the host Bears, Akron, Loyola Chicago, Indiana and North Carolina A&T. Action will start at 11 a.m. (ET) on Friday, Feb. 22 and conclude on Sunday, Feb. 24. The Bears, who play five total games, will play twice on Friday and Saturday and once on Sunday.

Live stats will be provided for all 12 tournament games. Mercer's first and second games of the weekend against Akron and Loyola Chicago on Friday afternoon will be streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network.

TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
Date: Friday, Feb. 22 – Sunday, Feb. 24
Location: Macon, Ga. | Sikes Field
Teams: Mercer (0-0), Akron (5-3-2), Loyola-Chicago (9-0), Indiana (9-0), NC A&T (0-2)
Admission: Free
Live Stats (Mercer's games): Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5
Video: Game 1 | Game 2
Twitter Updates: @MercerUSoftball

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Date	Time	Teams
Fri. Feb. 22	11 AM	Akron vs. Indiana
Fri. Feb 22	1:15 PM	Indiana vs. Loyola-Chicago
*Fri. Feb 22*	*3:30 PM*	*Mercer vs. Akron*
*Fri. Feb 22*	*5:45 PM*	*Mercer vs. Loyola- Chicago*
Sat. Feb 23	10 AM	NC A&T vs. Indiana
*Sat. Feb 23*	*12:15 PM*	*Mercer vs. Indiana*
*Sat. Feb 23*	*2:30 PM*	*Mercer vs. Akron*
*Sat. Feb 23*	4:45 PM	Akron vs. Loyola-Chicago
Sun. Feb 23	7 PM	Loyola-Chicago vs. NC A&T
Sun. Feb 24	11 AM	Indiana vs. Loyola-Chicago
Sun. Feb 24	1:15 PM	NC A&T vs. Akron
*Sun. Feb 24*	*3 PM*	*Mercer vs. NC A&T*

NOTABLES

Mercer is 3-8 overall after dropping five games at last weekend's Jaguar Challenge in Mobile.
Allie Jones leads the Bears with a .382 batting average. She has 13 hits and five RBIs for the season.
Jones leads the SoCon in stolen bases. She is a perfect 5-for-5 this season.
Lynn Gardner leads Mercer in the circle with three wins. The freshman has pitched 32.1 innings over five appearances.
Bailey Pattison has the best ERA for Mercer (3.64).
Megan Lane leads Mercer with seven runs scored.
Kenlie Harvey has hit Mercer's lone home run.
Mercer is 1-3 against Akron and 3-0 against North Carolina A&T. Mercer hosted Akron in last year's Orange & Black Challenge, where it defeated the Zips 5-1. The last time Mercer faced North Carolina A&T was in 2001.
Mercer has never faced Indiana or Loyola Chicago.

SCOUTING AKRON
The Zips are 5-3-2 after playing in the Blue Hose Invitational and Madeira Beach Tournament, having picked up wins against Morgan State (twice), Drexel, Holy Cross and George Mason.

SCOUTING LOYOLA CHICAGO
The Ramblers are one of two undefeated teams in this weekend's tournament, owning a 9-0 record. Pitcher Kiley Jones owns five of those wins and owns a 0.60 earned run average over 30 innings pitched. Loyola Chicago has outscored its opponents 56-7 so far this season at the Total Control Sports Invitational and Runnin' Bulldog Softball Tournament.

SCOUTING INDIANA
Indiana is the second of two undefeated teams entering this weekend's tournament in Macon. The Hoosiers have already defeated No. 6 Georgia, 6-4, Duke, Syracuse (twice), Virginia, Florida Atlantic, St. John's and Bethune-Cookman. Taylor Lambert leads the Hoosiers in batting average (.348), runs (8) and hits (8). Tara Trainer leads Indiana with five wins and owns a 1.27 ERA while pitching in 33 innings this season.

SCOUTING North Carolina A&T
North Carolina A&T began its 2019 season in Boone, N.C., falling in two games against Appalachian State. Maya Figueroa, Samantha Ramirez and Eternal Fuller all connected on one hit apiece to lead the Aggie's offense this season.

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.