Bears Travel to ETSU for SoCon Series

Saturday, April 6

Johnson City, Tenn.

1 P.M.

Mercer University

ETSU

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

4/5/2019 11:25:00 AM | Softball

Mercer will face ETSU in three-game weekend series

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer softball team will look to extend a three-game win streak when it heads to Johnson City, Tenn. to face ETSU in a Southern Conference series this weekend.

The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. before rounding out the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be played at Betty Basler Field.

WEEKEND LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (16-21, 2-1 SoCon) vs. ETSU (17-13-2, 3-0 SoCon)
Location: Johnson City, Tenn. | Betty Basler Field
Saturday (Game 1): April 6 | 1 p.m. | Live Stats
Saturday (Game 2): April 6 | 3 p.m. | Live Stats
Sunday: April 7 | 1 p.m. | Live Stats
Twitter Updates: @MercerUSoftball

QUICK HITS

Mercer defeated Florida A&M, 5-4, on Wednesday at Sikes Field.
The Bears opened its Southern Conference slate with a series victory over Western Carolina at home last weekend. After falling in the series opener, Mercer rallied with two wins in Saturday's doubleheader.
Danielle Castleberry is the SoCon's leader in hits (40), batting average (.377), on base percentage (.500) and hit by pitch (11).
Not to be outdone, Allie Jones ranks second in the league in hits (39). She is batting .351.
Mercer ranks second in the league with stolen bases per game (1.27) and batting average (.286).
Micayla Rood leads the conference in runs scored (35).
Abby Walsh is third in the SoCon with her three triples this season.
Bailey Pattison leads Mercer in the circle with a 3.95 ERA and eight wins. The freshman has seen action in 90.1 innings and has struck out 46 batters.
Fellow freshman Lynn Gardner has recorded seven wins and three saves this season during her 98.0 innings pitched. The lefty has struck out 46 batters.
Stella Preston picked up her first win of the season against Florida A&M, striking out five batters.

SERIES HISTORY
The Bears lead the all-time series, 18-13. Mercer swept last year's regular season series against the Bucs, but later fell, 5-3, in nine innings to ETSU in the SoCon Tournament.

SCOUTING ETSU
The Bucs enter the weekend with a 17-13-2 overall record and are coming off a midweek doubleheader split with Radford. ETSU won 4-3 in the first matchup before falling 3-2 in the second contest. Nikki Grupp leads the offense with a .356 batting average and owns 36 hits, eight doubles, 33 RBIs and eight home runs. Kelly Schmidt and Taylor Boling lead ETSU in the circle with seven wins each. They have combined for 114 strikeouts.

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.