Saturday, March 13
Macon, Ga.
1:30 p.m.
Mercer University
9-9
6
vs
8
Winthrop
11-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Winthrop
0
0
0
0
1
7
0
8
7
0
Mercer
1
3
0
0
2
0
0
6
11
1
Photo by: Mitch Robinson
Mecer Bounces Back with Win over Presbyterian
3/13/2021 11:56:00 PM | Softball
Sophie Sumner belted the go-ahead 2-run homer against Presbyterian
MACON, Ga. – After dropping an 8-6 decision to Winthrop, the Mercer softball team rebounded with a 3-1 victory over Presbyterian on the second day of the Mercer Bears Classic on Saturday at Sikes Field.
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The Bears' offense ran through the top of the lineup as leadoff hitter Elisa Rosado (3-for-6) and two-hole hitter Micayla Rood (5-for-6) combined for eight of Mercer's 16 hits on the day. Both Rosado and Rood scored twice on the day with Rosado adding a triple and two RBI while Rood finished with a double and one RBI. Sophie Sumner provided the Bears with their other extra-base hit of the day with her second home run of the season.
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In the circle, Ashlyn Donner was in full control, only allowing one run on two hits in 8.0 innings across the two games. She struck out three while picking up her first save with the Bears in the night cap.
Game One: Winthrop 8, Mercer 6
Donner was nearly untouchable in the early going of game one as she set down all nine Eagles in order her first time through the lineup. Macy McCall was the first Winthrop player to reach base on a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, but was quickly erased as the righty from New Ulm, Minn., helped her own cause by starting the 1-4-3 double play.
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The Mercer offense backed up its starting pitcher by spotting her an early lead. With the center fielder shading her toward the opposite field, Rood lined a double into straight-away center field before advancing to third on a ground out. Allie Jones knocked her in for the first run of the game as she muscled a base hit past the diving Winthrop shortstop.
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The Bears tagged Winthrop for three more runs in the second inning as Diamond Williams led things off with a seeing-eye single through the right side. Pinch runner Atira McGowan was sacrificed over to second before stealing third on the first pitch of Tori Ash's at-bat. The catcher from Cottondale, Ala., did not let the rookie get too comfortable there as she chopped the next pitch over the third baseman's head and into left field for an RBI single. Rosado continued to do damage at the plate when the lineup turned over as she pulled an RBI triple into the corner in right field as Ash hustled all the way from first to score the team's third run of the contest. Not to be outdone, Rood plated Rosado in the next at-bat with an infield single for Mercer's sixth hit in the first two frames.
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Winthrop finally broke through for its first hit off Donner in the fifth inning with a leadoff single by Ansley Gilreath. The Eagles pushed across their first run of the game with an RBI single by Bailey Warren.
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Mercer used its speed to respond with two runs in the home half of the frame. Rosado and Rood both reached on a pair of beautiful bunt base hits before stealing second. A sacrifice fly by Danielle Castleberry scored Rosado and moved Rood up to third for Jones who once again knocked the ball into center field to drive in a run. She later swiped second base but would be stranded there as Mercer headed into the sixth with a 6-1 advantage.
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The visitor's bats came to life in the next inning, however, as a trio of home runs by Lauren King, Madyson Watson and Taylor Charlton fueled a seven-run sixth inning for the Eagles as they took an 8-6 lead. Â Â
Game Two: Mercer 3, Presbyterian 1
Mercer's offense got going early in the second game as well as the Bears loaded the bases in the first inning on a walk by Rood, a hit-by-pitch by Castleberry and another free pass drawn by Kylie Helm. The home side was unable to convert, however, as Adele Braun just missed and popped out to the PC first baseman in foul territory to end the inning.
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The Bears continued to pressure Presbyterian in the second inning as Annie Potter and Bree Comer recorded back-to-back base hits to start the frame. The Black and Orange took advantage of an errant throw by the Blue Hose pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Sumner that allowed Potter to break the scoreless draw. It appeared as though the Bears had added to their lead with a sacrifice fly in the following at-bat, but the umpires ruled that the runner at third left early to negate the insurance tally.
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Starting pitcher Riley Hickok navigated a top of the first that saw the Blue Hose leadoff hitter Layna Johnson reach on a walk and make it all the way to third, but the sophomore righty buckled down and recorded the final out of the inning to get out of the jam. She settled into the game from there, retiring six of the next seven batters. Hickok set down Presbyterian in order in the second inning while striking out the final two hitters of the frame and got the first two batters of the third inning out before working around a two-out hit by Johnson.
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Presbyterian strung together three consecutive two-out hits in the fourth inning from Courtney White, Katelyn Petty and Rebecca Clark to knot things up at one apiece.
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That score would not hold for long, however, as the home side responded in the home half of the inning. Potter drew a walk to get things started in the Mercer fourth before being sacrificed over to second. After running a 1-2 count full at the plate, Sumner turned on the payoff pitch and belted her second home run of the year over the fence in left field for a go-ahead, two-run bomb that put the Bears back on top, 3-1. Mercer continued to threaten as Rosado earned a free pass and Rood was hit by a pitch, but Presbyterian was able to settle down and keep it at a two-run game.
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The damage had been done though as Donner entered in relief for the Bears and picked up where she left off in game one. She retired all six Presbyterian hitters she faced and picked up a pair of strikeouts in her first save of the year.
Notables
» Rood and Rosado are tied for the team lead in hits with 19 apiece.
» Both Rood and Rosado recorded three hits in game one, marking just the sixth time this season a Mercer player has tallied three or more hits in a game.
» Rosado legged out her team-leading third triple of the season while scoring her 15th run, which is also a team-high.
» Sumner blasted her second home run of the season to lead the team in long balls.
» Jones added her fourth multi-hit game and second multi-RBI effort against Winthrop.
» Hickok picked up her second win of the year.
» Donner closed out game two for her first save at the Division I level.
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Up Next
The Bears 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+.
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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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The Bears' offense ran through the top of the lineup as leadoff hitter Elisa Rosado (3-for-6) and two-hole hitter Micayla Rood (5-for-6) combined for eight of Mercer's 16 hits on the day. Both Rosado and Rood scored twice on the day with Rosado adding a triple and two RBI while Rood finished with a double and one RBI. Sophie Sumner provided the Bears with their other extra-base hit of the day with her second home run of the season.
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In the circle, Ashlyn Donner was in full control, only allowing one run on two hits in 8.0 innings across the two games. She struck out three while picking up her first save with the Bears in the night cap.
Game One: Winthrop 8, Mercer 6
Donner was nearly untouchable in the early going of game one as she set down all nine Eagles in order her first time through the lineup. Macy McCall was the first Winthrop player to reach base on a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, but was quickly erased as the righty from New Ulm, Minn., helped her own cause by starting the 1-4-3 double play.
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The Mercer offense backed up its starting pitcher by spotting her an early lead. With the center fielder shading her toward the opposite field, Rood lined a double into straight-away center field before advancing to third on a ground out. Allie Jones knocked her in for the first run of the game as she muscled a base hit past the diving Winthrop shortstop.
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The Bears tagged Winthrop for three more runs in the second inning as Diamond Williams led things off with a seeing-eye single through the right side. Pinch runner Atira McGowan was sacrificed over to second before stealing third on the first pitch of Tori Ash's at-bat. The catcher from Cottondale, Ala., did not let the rookie get too comfortable there as she chopped the next pitch over the third baseman's head and into left field for an RBI single. Rosado continued to do damage at the plate when the lineup turned over as she pulled an RBI triple into the corner in right field as Ash hustled all the way from first to score the team's third run of the contest. Not to be outdone, Rood plated Rosado in the next at-bat with an infield single for Mercer's sixth hit in the first two frames.
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Winthrop finally broke through for its first hit off Donner in the fifth inning with a leadoff single by Ansley Gilreath. The Eagles pushed across their first run of the game with an RBI single by Bailey Warren.
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Mercer used its speed to respond with two runs in the home half of the frame. Rosado and Rood both reached on a pair of beautiful bunt base hits before stealing second. A sacrifice fly by Danielle Castleberry scored Rosado and moved Rood up to third for Jones who once again knocked the ball into center field to drive in a run. She later swiped second base but would be stranded there as Mercer headed into the sixth with a 6-1 advantage.
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The visitor's bats came to life in the next inning, however, as a trio of home runs by Lauren King, Madyson Watson and Taylor Charlton fueled a seven-run sixth inning for the Eagles as they took an 8-6 lead. Â Â
Game Two: Mercer 3, Presbyterian 1
Mercer's offense got going early in the second game as well as the Bears loaded the bases in the first inning on a walk by Rood, a hit-by-pitch by Castleberry and another free pass drawn by Kylie Helm. The home side was unable to convert, however, as Adele Braun just missed and popped out to the PC first baseman in foul territory to end the inning.
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The Bears continued to pressure Presbyterian in the second inning as Annie Potter and Bree Comer recorded back-to-back base hits to start the frame. The Black and Orange took advantage of an errant throw by the Blue Hose pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Sumner that allowed Potter to break the scoreless draw. It appeared as though the Bears had added to their lead with a sacrifice fly in the following at-bat, but the umpires ruled that the runner at third left early to negate the insurance tally.
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Starting pitcher Riley Hickok navigated a top of the first that saw the Blue Hose leadoff hitter Layna Johnson reach on a walk and make it all the way to third, but the sophomore righty buckled down and recorded the final out of the inning to get out of the jam. She settled into the game from there, retiring six of the next seven batters. Hickok set down Presbyterian in order in the second inning while striking out the final two hitters of the frame and got the first two batters of the third inning out before working around a two-out hit by Johnson.
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Presbyterian strung together three consecutive two-out hits in the fourth inning from Courtney White, Katelyn Petty and Rebecca Clark to knot things up at one apiece.
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That score would not hold for long, however, as the home side responded in the home half of the inning. Potter drew a walk to get things started in the Mercer fourth before being sacrificed over to second. After running a 1-2 count full at the plate, Sumner turned on the payoff pitch and belted her second home run of the year over the fence in left field for a go-ahead, two-run bomb that put the Bears back on top, 3-1. Mercer continued to threaten as Rosado earned a free pass and Rood was hit by a pitch, but Presbyterian was able to settle down and keep it at a two-run game.
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The damage had been done though as Donner entered in relief for the Bears and picked up where she left off in game one. She retired all six Presbyterian hitters she faced and picked up a pair of strikeouts in her first save of the year.
Notables
» Rood and Rosado are tied for the team lead in hits with 19 apiece.
» Both Rood and Rosado recorded three hits in game one, marking just the sixth time this season a Mercer player has tallied three or more hits in a game.
» Rosado legged out her team-leading third triple of the season while scoring her 15th run, which is also a team-high.
» Sumner blasted her second home run of the season to lead the team in long balls.
» Jones added her fourth multi-hit game and second multi-RBI effort against Winthrop.
» Hickok picked up her second win of the year.
» Donner closed out game two for her first save at the Division I level.
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Up Next
The Bears 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+.
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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: CYZICK, Makayla (2-0)
L: Joice, Madi (4-1)
Batting:
2B: GILREATH, Ansley 1
HR: KING, Lauren 1 ; WATSON, Madyson 1 ; CHARLTON, Taylor 1
RBI: KING, Lauren 2 ; WATSON, Madyson 1 ; WARREN, Bailey 1 ; CHARLTON, Taylor 3
Base Running:
RUNS: MCCALL, Macy 1 ; KING, Lauren 1 ; WATSON, Madyson 1 ; GILREATH, Ansley 1 ; PATEL, Reema 1 ; WESTBROOKS, Ashley 1 ; WARREN, Bailey 1 ; CHARLTON, Taylor 1
SB: MCCALL, Macy 1
Batting:
2B: Rood, Micayla 1
3B: Rosado, Elisa 1
RBI: Rosado, Elisa 1 ; Rood, Micayla 1 ; Castleberry, Danielle 1 ; Jones, Allie 2 ; Ash, Tori 1
SH: Potter, Annie 1
SF: Castleberry, Danielle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rosado, Elisa 2 ; Rood, Micayla 2 ; McGowan, Atira 1 ; Ash, Tori 1
SB: Rosado, Elisa 1 ; Rood, Micayla 2 ; Jones, Allie 1 ; McGowan, Atira 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
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