Bears Set to Host Black & Orange Challenge

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer softball team returns to Sikes Field this weekend as the Bears host the Black & Orange Challenge from Friday through Sunday.

TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
Date: Friday, Feb. 26 – Sunday, Feb. 28
Location: Macon, Ga. | Sikes Field
Teams: Mercer (2-4), Alabama A&M (1-3), Pitt (1-6), Toledo (0-0)
Tournament Central: MercerBears.com
Twitter Updates: @MercerUSoftball

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 26
Toledo vs. Alabama A&M, 11 a.m. (Live Stats)
Pitt vs. Toledo, 1:30 p.m. (Live Stats)
Alabama A&M at Mercer, 3:45 p.m. (Live Stats)
Pitt at Mercer, 6 p.m. (Live Stats)

Saturday, Feb. 27
Pitt vs. Toledo, 10 a.m. (Live Stats)
Pitt at Mercer, 12:30 p.m. (Live Stats)
Alabama A&M at Mercer, 2:45 p.m. (Live Stats)
Alabama A&M vs. Toledo, 5 p.m. (Live Stats)

Sunday, Feb. 28
Toledo at Mercer, 10 a.m. (Live Stats)

Home teams are underlined

MERCER QUICK HITS

Mercer is looking to remain undefeated at home after starting 2-0 against Wesleyan on Feb. 16.
Danielle Castleberry leads the Bears with a .375 average (6-for-16) with two doubles.
Elisa Rosado has tallied a team-high seven hits, including two doubles and two triples.
Rosado is riding a 14-game hit streak and is the only Mercer player with a hit in all six games this season.
Diamond Williams and Sophie Sumner have provided the power for Mercer with each of them hitting a home run.

SCOUTING ALABAMA A&M
Alabama A&M comes to Macon with a 1-3 record after competing at Alabama State's Black and Gold Tournament last weekend. The Bulldogs opened with an 8-6 win over the hosts before dropping a pair of contests against UT Martin (8-0 in 5 Inn.; 9-3). They ended the tournament with a 4-0 loss against Alabama State. Serena Herbranson leads Alabama A&M with a .429 average (6-for-14), six hits and three RBI. Rachel McKinney is the only Bulldog with multiple extra-base hits on the season with a home run and a double. In the circle, Alyssa Lopez boasts a team-best 3.27 ERA in two complete game efforts this season. Esperanza Coe picked up the lone win of the season thus far for AAMU and has tallied a team-best nine strikeouts.

SCOUTING PITT
The Panthers have started their 2021 season with a record of 1-6, having most recently taken part in ACC Pod Play last weekend against No. 18 Duke and Virginia. Pitt picked up its first win of the season with a 7-4 decision over the Cavaliers on Friday after erasing a 3-0 deficit. EC Taylor paces the Panthers with eight hits and two doubles, while boasting a team-best .364 average (8-for-22). She is also Pitt's primary threat on the base paths with a perfect 8-for-8 mark on stolen bases. Sarah Seamans and Katlyn Pavlick have both slugged a home run this season as the duo is Pitt's top-two RBI leaders at seven and four, respectively. In the circle, Dani Drogemuller has shouldered the majority of the workload with a team-high 16.2 innings of work. She earned the team's lone win on the year and has struck out 10 batters.

SCOUTING TOLEDO
Toledo will be playing in its first games of the 2021 season and is coming off an 11-12 2020 campaign that was cut short due to COVID-19. At the time of the pause, the Rockets had won two of their last three games in Madeira Beach, Fla., with victories over South Dakota State (2-0) and Merrimack (11-1, 5 Inn.). Dayna Denner posted team highs with 29 hits and a .408 average (29-for-71), in addition to driving in 19 RBI and slugging five home runs. Erin Hunt returns as the top arm for the Toledo pitching staff, posting a 2.06 ERA last season while going 9-4. She struck out 96 hitters in 81.2 innings and tossed nine complete games and two shutouts.

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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Players Mentioned

Danielle Castleberry

Elisa Rosado

Sophie Sumner

Diamond Williams

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