Bears Drop Road Contest at Georgia Southern

Wednesday, February 12

Statesboro, Ga.

6 PM

Mercer University

1-4

Georgia Southern

4-1

Mercer

Georgia Southern

2/12/2020 8:22:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Danielle Castleberry recorded her third double of the season.

By: Stephen Waldman

STATESBORO, Ga. – The Mercer softball team suffered a 5-3 loss at the hands of the Georgia Southern Eagles on Wednesday evening at Eagles Field.

Mekhia Freeman provided the heroics for Georgia Southern as she hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.

The Bears totaled five hits on the evening with Micayla Rood, Elisa Rosado and Danielle Castleberry each recording a hit at the top of the order. Diamond Williams and Kenlie Harvey also notched base knocks with Rosado, Castleberry and Harvey all reaching on doubles.

Bailey Pattison started the game strong and finished with six hits and three runs allowed (earned) in 6.0 innings of work. She only gave up one walk while striking out two Eagles.

How It Happened
The Bears' offense came alive early as a pair of runs in the first inning put the visitors ahead before the host Eagles picked up a bat. Rosado and Castleberry got things started with back-to-back doubles to give Mercer an early 1-0 lead. Castleberry followed that up by stealing third during the next at-bat and scored courtesy of a throwing error by the catcher.

Pattison and the Mercer defense got off to a fast start as well, retiring the first three Georgia Southern batters of the contest.

Neither team could muster much offensively until the top of the fourth when Castlebrry was hit by a pitch, giving the Bears their first base runner since the first inning. She advanced to second on a sacrifice before Williams came through with a clutch two-out base knock. With runners on the corners, the Bears were once again active on the base paths which allowed Castleberry to score from third and extend the lead.

Georgia Southern threatened in the home half of the fourth when they loaded the bases with a walk, single and hit by pitch with one out. Pattison was calm in the face of danger, however, as a strikeout and a fly out allowed the sophomore right hander to escape unscathed.

The Eagles bounced back in the following frame, however, to tie the game at three. Bailee Wilson provided the big hit in the inning for Georgia Southern with a two-run triple.

The Eagles managed to pull away in the seventh when Freeman ended the game with a walk-off home run.

Notables
» Mercer saw its three-game winning streak against Georgia Southern halted.
» Rood recorded her team-leading 10th base hit of the season.
» Rosado and Castleberry each doubled in the game and remain tied for the team lead with three each.
» Amber Byrd has pitched in four of Mercer's six games this season.

Up Next
The Bears remain on the road this weekend as they travel to Madeira Beach, Fla., for the Madeira Beach Tournament. Mercer opens the tournament against Monmouth (4 p.m.) and Akron (6:30 p.m.) on Friday before taking on Presbyterian (4 p.m.) on Saturday. The Bears close out the event with games against Middle Tennessee State (9 a.m.) and Nicholls State (11:30 a.m.) on Sunday.

Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Softball please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerUSoftball (Twitter), /MUSoftball (Facebook) and @MercerUSoftball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.