Bears to Compete in Red and Black Tournament

Friday, March 1

Boiling Springs, N.C.

10 A.M.

Mercer University

Wright State

2/28/2019 12:16:00 PM | Softball

Mercer will play five games this weekend

By: Mary Bess Skinner

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will travel to Boiling Springs, N.C. to compete in the Gardner-Webb-hosted Red and Black Tournament this weekend.

The Bears will play five games throughout the weekend beginning Friday, March 1 at 10 a.m. against Wright State and followed by Maryland Eastern Shore at noon. Saturday will begin by facing Wright State again at 10 a.m. followed by South Carolina State at noon. Sunday's one game will conclude the Bears' trip with a matchup against hosts Gardner-Webb at noon.

TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
Date: Friday, March 1 – Sunday, March 3
Location: Boiling Springs, N.C.
Teams: Mercer (6-10), Wright State (5-3-2), Maryland Eastern Shore (0-4), South Carolina State (0-2), Gardner-Webb (10-5)
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5

Twitter Updates: @MercerUSoftball

NOTABLES

· Mercer is 6-10 overall after picking up three wins over Akron (twice) and North Carolina A&T in the Black and Orange Challenge last weekend.

· Allie Jones leads the Bears with a .327 batting average. She has 16 hits and 10 RBIs for the season. Jones ranks third in the league with seven stolen bases.

· Micayla Rood is close behind Jones in the stolen base category with four.

· Lynn Gardner leads Mercer in the circle with four wins. The freshman has pitched 51.1 innings over seven appearances and has struck out 25 batters.

· Fellow freshman Bailey Pattison has 23 strikeouts.

· Catie Josselet's five doubles and Abby Walsh's two triples both rank third in the SoCon, respectively.

· Walsh leads Mercer with 11 runs scored.

· Danielle Castleberry ranks 10th in the nation in the hit by pitch category (8).

· Mercer leads Gardner-Webb 10-4 in the overall series. The Bears last faced the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2008 where the Orange and Black walked away with a 3-0 win.

· This weekend will be the first time the Bears have played Maryland Eastern Shore and South Carolina State.

· The Bears trail Wright State 4-1 all-time. Mercer last faced the Raiders in 2007 when the Bears walked away with a 6-5 win.

SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE
The Raiders are 4-5 after playing in the UAB Tournament and Liberty Invitational, having picked up wins against Louisiana at Monroe (twice), Valparaiso and Delaware State. Madison Whitaker leads the Raiders with a .444 batting average and 12 hits.

SCOUTING MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
Maryland Eastern Shore enters the Red and Black Tournament 0-4, having traveled to Charleston, S.C. to compete in the CSU Tournament on Feb. 8-9. The Hawks fell to Dayton (14-0), Charleston Southern (5-1 and 10-2) and South Dakota (13-2).

SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA STATE

South Carolina State began its 2019 campaign Tuesday having already faced Gardner-Webb in a doubleheader, falling to the Running Bulldogs 10-0 twice. The Bulldogs return seven letter winners and welcomes seven newcomers. South Carolina State finished 2-31 overall last season, earning wins over North Carolina A&T and Savannah State.

SCOUTING GARDNER-WEBB
Andria Booth leads the Running Bulldogs with a .459 batting average, including 17 hits and six RBIs and has stolen 11 bases successfully. Brooke Perry records a 2.42 ERA having playing in 52 innings and earning six wins. The pitcher has also struck out 69 batters.

Follow the Bears
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