Mercer University
9-15
Utah
14-4
Long Ball Haunts Bears Versus Utah, Oklahoma State
3/7/2020 7:44:00 PM | Softball
Diamond Williams hit a pinch hit double and scored against Utah
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Elisa Rosado led the squad out of the leadoff position with three hits, a walk and two runs scored. Allie Jones added a pair of hits on the day, including a double, while also scoring a run and driving in another. Micayla Rood scored twice on the afternoon and Danielle Castleberry drove in two RBI.
Game One: Utah 13, Mercer 6
Utah started the game with three runs in the bottom of the first and one in the second to take an early lead. Mercer responded in the third inning as Rachel Baker earned the first hit of the game with a one-out double. Kenlie Harvey and Rood drew a pair of walks bookended around a single by Rosado to load the bases. Castleberry dug into the box and cleared the bases with a two-run single to left with some help from a throwing error by the Utes' left fielder. Castleberry advanced to third on the play and scored on an Allie Jones double to tie the game.
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The designated home team wasted little time in regaining the lead as Ellessa Bonstrom hit a leadoff home run off a 2-1 pitch. Bonstrom added a pair of insurance runs in the next inning with a two-run homer to make it a 7-4 game.
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Mercer answered with a run on a double steal in the top of the fifth, but Utah hit its third home run of the game to push its lead back to three runs. In the sixth, rookie Diamond Williams led off with a pinch-hit double to left center and later scored on an RBI single from Harvey. The Utes used a pair of home runs to score five runs in the home half of the inning and put the game out of reach of the Bears.
Game Two: #11 Oklahoma State 11, Mercer 2
The Mercer offense started quickly against the 11th-ranked team in the country as Rosado kick-started the rally with a leadoff single. After Jones was hit by a pitch, Walsh drove a single to right center to plate Rosado and give the Bears an early lead. Jones advanced to third on the hit and scored on the next play as Walsh got into a rundown to allow the Calhoun, Ga., native enough time to score a second run of the inning.
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Oklahoma State's Sydney Pennington tied the game in the home half of the first with a home run to right-center field before a second inning sac fly gave the Pokes a 3-2 lead. Alysen Febrey added a homer to add a cushion for OSU before a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and a three-run triple extended its lead to 8-2.
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Michaela Richbourg hit a three-run homer in the fourth and set the Pokes up to earn the run rule win in the following frame.
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Notables
» Rosado became the fourth Bear and first freshman to record 25 hits this season.
» Rosado recorded her sixth multi-hit game of the year against Utah.
» With a double today, Jones moved into the team lead with nine extra-base hits. Â
» Jones notched her eighth multi-hit performance of the season.
» Castleberry scored her team-leading 19th run of the season.
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Up Next
The Bears will conclude the Muzino Classic on Sunday at 11 a.m. ET against Murray State. Â
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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.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Feldman, Mary Beth (2-2)
L: Hickok, Riley (0-4)
S: Sandez, Sydney (2)
Batting:
2B: Jones, Allie 1 ; Williams, Diamond 1 ; Baker, Rachel 1
RBI: Castleberry, Danielle 2 ; Jones, Allie 1 ; Harvey, Kenlie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rosado, Elisa 1 ; Rood, Micayla 2 ; Castleberry, Danielle 1 ; Williams, Diamond 1 ; Harvey, Kenlie 1
SB: Rood, Micayla 1 ; Jones, Allie 1
CS: Baker, Rachel 1
HBP: Walsh, Abby 1
Batting:
2B: Denning, Haley 1
HR: Bonstrom, Ellessa 2 ; Castaenda, BreOnna 1 ; Pond, Charlee 1 ; Palacios, Alyssa 1
RBI: Jacobus, Madi 1 ; Bonstrom, Ellessa 3 ; Castaenda, BreOnna 4 ; Pond, Charlee 1 ; Hurst, Makayla 1 ; Palacios, Alyssa 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Denning, Haley 2 ; Jacobus, Madi 1 ; Barrera, Alyssa 1 ; Bonstrom, Ellessa 4 ; Castaenda, BreOnna 1 ; Pond, Charlee 2 ; Faulk, Katie 1 ; Palacios, Alyssa 1
SB: Denning, Haley 3 ; Bonstrom, Ellessa 1 ; Pond, Charlee 1
