Softball Sweeps First Day of Mercer Bears Classic

Friday, March 12

Macon, Ga.

3:45 p.m.

Mercer University

8-8

Winthrop

11-9

Winthrop

Mercer

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

Softball Sweeps First Day of Mercer Bears Classic

3/12/2021 11:09:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Amber Byrd tallied a career-high eight strikeouts in the win over North Dakota

By: Stephen Waldman

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer softball team picked up a walk-off victory over Winthrop, 5-4, before claiming a 4-0 shutout win over North Dakota to open the first day of the Mercer Bears Classic on Friday at Sikes Field.

Senior Allie Jones provided the heroics in game one and finished with a team-high four hits on the day. The Calhoun, Ga., native finished 4-for-7 (.571 avg.) with a double, two runs, two RBI and was a perfect 2-for-2 on stolen bases. Danielle Castleberry added three hits on the day, all of which came against the Eagles. Castleberry also recorded a double while joining Jones as the only Bears to score multiple runs and drive in multiple RBI on the afternoon.

As a team, the Bears totaled five doubles between the two games with Adele Braun, Diamond Williams and Annie Potter also tallied a two-bagger on the day. Elisa Rosado scored a pair of runs as well.

In the circle, freshman Madi Joice remained perfect as she posted her fourth win of the season while Amber Byrd put together a stellar performance in game two. Byrd compiled a two-hit complete game shutout victory while racking up a career-high eight strikeouts against North Dakota.

Game One: Mercer 5, Winthrop 4
Winthrop opened the scoring in the top of the first as its first four batters reached base with three singles and a hit-by-pitch to take a 1-0 lead. The Bears responded in the home half of the opening frame after Micayla Rood got things started with a one-out single. She moved up to second on a throwing error by the catcher before tying the game on an opposite field hit by Castleberry. Jones followed with a hit of her own two hitters later, but the Bears were unable to take the lead.

The Eagles regained the lead by scoring two runs in the top of the third. After Madyson Watson led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, she came around to score on an errant throw from the outfield on a Taylor Charlton double. The next batter, Ashley Westbrooks, hit a sac fly to center to make it a 3-1 game.

Pitching dominated the next three innings as the two teams combined for just two hits and two walks from the bottom of the third through the top of the sixth.

Mercer's bats came to life in the bottom of the sixth that started with Castleberry ripping a double into the left-center field gap. She was sacrificed over to third before scoring as Jones pressured the Eagles' defense into making an error. After moving up to second base, Jones scored the game-tying run when Diamond Williams connected on a pinch-hit, two-out double to right center.

The Bears had their backs against the wall in the seventh as a Watson home run in the top half of the inning gave the visitors a one-run edge. The rally started when Rosado laid down a perfect bunt down the third-base line for a one-out single. Castleberry dug into the batter's box after Rosado was moved up to second base as Mercer's last hope to keep the game going. The redshirt-senior came through in a big way, battling in an 0-2 count before driving a single to right field to tie the game. She advanced to second on a wild pitch before Braun drew a walk to put runners on first and second.

Jones stepped into the box next for the Bears in what was undoubtedly the most interesting at-bat of the young season. After seeing five pitches and facing a 2-2 count, Jones' appearance at the plate would be delayed as the opposing coaching staff suggested that she was outside of what used to be the batter's box and requested that the lines be re-painted. Following the delay for field maintenance, Jones took a pitch low and outside which ran the count full. The Bears' center fielder connected on the payoff pitch and rifled a double into the gap in left-center field, allowing Castleberry to round third and score the game-winning run as the team rushed out of the dugout to mob the hero of the game at second base.

Game Two: Mercer 4, North Dakota 0
Mercer carried the momentum from an emotional walk-off win into its second game of the day. Byrd was locked in from the opening pitch as she used a 10-pitch first inning to set the Fighting Hawks down in order and struck out Izzy Haslett in the process. Madi Moore picked up one of North Dakota's two hits on the day with a leadoff double in the second inning, but Byrd quickly recovered as she struck out the next three UND hitters to nullify the threat.

Byrd picked up her fifth strikeout of the game by fanning Alyssa Rios in the third inning before getting some breathing room from Mercer's offense. The Bears pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Bree Comer led off with a single up the middle before advancing to second on a sac bunt. Rosado took full advantage of UND experiencing some defensive problems as she made it to second thanks to a fielding error. The ball ricocheted into center field where it was picked up by a North Dakota outfielder whose throw was off line, allowing both Rosado and Comer to cross home plate and give Mercer a 2-0 advantage.

The Bears' righty fed off of the energy her teammates created and recorded her second 1-2-3 inning in of the game in the top of the fourth while adding another strikeout. Mercer went back on the offensive in the home half of the inning as Jones beat out an infield single to lead off the frame. She was aggressive on the base paths as she swiped second and third before scoring on a fielding error by the third baseman on her second stolen-base attempt. Braun worked a four-pitch walk, giving the Bears a base runner for Potter who stepped up to the plate two batters later. She sent a perfectly-placed low liner inside the line in left field for a double that put two runners in scoring position for the home side. Comer was next and plated Braun on a sac fly to make it a 4-0 game.

That would be all the cushion Byrd would need as she continued her hot streak on the rubber. The Jackson, Tenn., native retired 10 consecutive Fighting Hawks from the final out of the third through the top of the seventh. Her streak was snapped by a defensive miscue that allowed Moore to reach base before she went to second on a pass ball. Byrd bucked down to retire the final two batters with a strikeout and a groundout to third to close out the game and lock up the complete game, two-hit shutout victory.

Notables
» Rosado and Castleberry recorded their team-leading 16th base hits of the year.
» Rosado scored her team-leading 13th run of the season.
» Byrd produced her first shutout in a Bears' uniform.
» Byrd tallied a career-high eight strikeouts. It was the most in a game by a Mercer pitcher since Feb. 23, 2019, when Lynn Gardner struck out eight against then-No. 19 Indiana.
» Jones has now stolen 28 consecutive bases without being caught, including being a perfect 10-for-10 this season.
» Jones posted the 31st and 32nd multi-hit games of her career. It was the seventh time she posted back-to-back multi-hit games.
» Jones reached a number of career milestones today, including: 120th base hit, 70th run scored, 60th RBI and 40th stolen base.
» Jones currently ranks sixth in program history in career stolen bases.
» Castleberry earned her 150th career start while driving in her 70th career RBI.
» Braun tallied her first collegiate double.
» Joice remained perfect on the season, moving to 4-0.
» Diamond Williams collected her 10th collegiate extra-base hit.

Up Next
The Bears return to Sikes Field for the second day of the Mercer Bears Classic on Saturday. Mercer will play Winthrop at 1:30 p.m. before taking on Presbyterian at 3:45 p.m. The Black and Orange will close out the tournament on Sunday against Southern Miss at 11:15 a.m. All three of the Bears' remaining games will be broadcast on ESPN+.

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.