Bears Sweep Series at N.C. Central; Win Two on Friday

Friday, April 2

Cary, N.C.

12 p.m.

Mercer University

15-14

N.C. Central

4-19

Mercer

N.C. Central

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

Bears Sweep Series at N.C. Central; Win Two on Friday

4/2/2021 6:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Allie Jones recorded a team-high five hits on Friday

By: Stephen Waldman

CARY, N.C. – The Mercer softball team completed the series sweep over N.C. Central by taking both games of the doubleheader, 10-3 and 3-2, at Thomas Brooks Park on Friday.

The Bears scored 10 runs on 13 hits in game one, recording double-digit runs for the fourth time this season while matching their most hits in a game this year. The bats stayed hot in game two with 11 hits, bringing the visitor's total on the day to 24 base knocks.

Senior Allie Jones led the squad with five hits on the day, while sophomore Sophie Sumner drove in a team-high four RBI while going 4-for-8 at the plate with a double and a triple. Kylie Helm added the team's second triple of the day, while Bree Comer and Alyssa Woods both recorded a double in the twin bill.

In the series, Mercer totaled 22 runs on 33 hits with seven Bears recording at least three hits.

Amber Byrd and Madi Joice were both impressive in the circle for the Bears as both pitchers tossed complete games. Byrd struck out five in game one, while Joice held NCCU to a .222 average in the second game while fanning three Eagles.

Game One: Mercer 10, N.C. Central 3
The Bears' bats stayed hot in the cool weather as Mercer scored four runs in the top of the first inning. Micayla Rood started things off with a one-out single up the middle before moving into scoring position on a stolen base. Jones sent a two-out single into center field to put runners on the corners. She too stole second base to put two runners in scoring position for Adele Braun who worked a full count before drawing a walk to load the bases. Kenlie Harvey duplicated Braun's efforts and plated Rood for the first run of the game with a free pass. Comer shot a single through the left side to make it 3-0 as Jones and Braun crossed the plate. Annie Potter kept the rally alive with an RBI single that scored Harvey from second.

Byrd retired the Eagles in order in the home half of the inning after a 5-4-3 double play erased a leadoff single by Hailey Batista. The home side scored three in the bottom of the second to cut the Mercer lead down to one as Imara Harrell drove in two on a single and Sanajae Sankey scored Maegan Garrison on a fielder's choice.

Mercer answered with three runs of its own in the top of the next frame as Jones led off with a base hit and moved up 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt. She later came around to score on a dropped third strike and a throwing error by the catcher that allowed Harvey to switch places with the Bears center fielder. Potter put runners on the corners by beating out a single to the pitcher before swiping second. Sumner extended the Bears' advantage with a two-run single to right to make it 7-3. She moved up to second on an opposite field base hit by Elisa Rosado but would be stranded in scoring position to end the inning.

After coming up with a clutch hit in the top of the inning, Sumner showed off her defensive skillset in the home half by throwing out Madison Mifsud as she attempted to steal second. Byrd built upon that momentum as she fanned the next NCCU hitter before inducing a ground out to third to end the inning. The right-hander from Jackson, Tenn., set the Eagles down in order in the fourth as she sat down Harrell for her fourth strikeout of the game.

The Bears' offense went back to work in the top of the fifth that started with a double by Woods and a Comer walk. Sumner launched the first pitch of her at-bat to deep center field as she recorded her second two-RBI hit of the game with a three-bagger that inflated the Mercer lead to 9-3. The visitors added its 10th run of the contest in the following frame. Jones and Braun produced back-to-back one-out singles before a fielder's choice brought Comer up to the plate with two outs. The Gray, Ga., native came up clutch with a double down the line in left that allowed Braun to put the Bears into double digits.

Byrd and the Bears defense locked in for the final two frames as NCCU could only muster a two-out single in the sixth as Mercer claimed the series win.

Game Two: Mercer 3, N.C. Central 2
Mercer opened the series finale the same way it did the previous two games: by scoring before N.C. Central had a chance to go on offense. Rosado and Woods strung together a pair of base hits before Jones loaded the bases with a single down the line in left. Woods tested the Eagles' defense on the next play as she scored on an infield fly. With the bases loaded, Braun hit a pop fly between the first and second basemen. The umpire called infield fly, but neither fielder took charge and let the ball drop. Woods immediately broke for home at her own risk and scored on the play as the catcher held the plate for a force out but did not apply the tag.

NCCU threatened in the bottom of the inning as Batista was hit by a pitch and Joirea Dumas singled to put two runners on. The two Eagles moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, but Joice locked in as she forced a fly out to center and a ground out to third to get out of the first unscathed.

The Bears added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the third inning that started with Woods drawing a five-pitch walk and Castleberry slapping a single into center field. Woods once again utilized her speed to pressure the N.C. Central defense as she scored from second on a ground out to first after forcing an errant throw. Castleberry came around to score two batters later as Helm won a 10-pitch battle by lacing a triple down the line in right field to push Mercer's lead to 3-0. The visitors were threatening again in the fourth as Sumner posted her second extra-base hit of the afternoon with a one-out double. Rosado and Castleberry were hit by pitches in the inning to load the bases, but the Bears were unable to increase their lead.

N.C. Central scratched across its first run of the game in the fourth inning when Tamiera Sanchez scored Harrell on a double to left.

Mercer continued to hit as the visitors five hits over the final three innings but were unable to push across any more runs. The Eagles managed to bring the game within one run at 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh as Christy Burroughs scored on a Mercer error, but Joice prevented N.C. Central from pushing across the game-tying run as she got Harrell to pop out to Castleberry at second before Garrison hit a grounder to Braun at third who stepped on the bag for the final out to complete the sweep.

Notables
» Mercer improved to 5-0 all-time against N.C. Central.
» The Bears have won four of their last five games.
» Mercer became the 10th team in the nation to reach double-digit triples as a team this season.
» Castleberry tied Rood for the team lead with her ninth multi-hit game of the season.
» Rood scored the 103rd run of her career, tying Kelley Bretscher for 10th in program history.
» Rosado joined Castleberry as the only hitters in the SoCon with 30 hits on the season.
» Jones tallied season highs with three hits and two runs scored in game one.
» Jones recorded her sixth multi-hit game of the season.
» Jones scored the 75th run of her career.
» Sumner drove in a career-high four RBI in game one, becoming the fourth Mercer player to tally four RBI in a game this season.
» Sumner posted multiple hits in back-to-back games for the first time in her career.
» Sumner documented the first double and triple of her career.
» Sumner threw out her second potential base stealer of the season.
» Joice documented her fifth win of the season, tying Ashlyn Donner for the team lead.
» Joice chucked her team-leading sixth complete game.
» Joice fanned at least three hitters for the sixth time this season.
» Byrd evened her record at 4-4 after tossing her second complete game of the season.
» Byrd tallied five strikeouts for the fourth time this year.
» Comer earned her third multi-RBI game and second multi-hit game of the year.
» Comer legged out her fifth double in a Mercer uniform.
» Woods recorded her first collegiate extra-base hit with a double in the first game.
» Woods scored a season-high two runs in the series finale.
» Woods posted a hit in all three games in the series, going 3-for-6 at the plate against the Eagles.
» Helm hustled her way into the first triple of her career.
» Helm produced her second multi-hit effort of the season.
» Potter became the fifth Mercer player with 20 hits this season and the first freshman to accomplish the feat.
» Potter tallied the fourth multi-hit game of her rookie campaign.
» Braun posted her second consecutive game with multiple runs scored in game one.
» Braun scored the 10th run of her first collegiate season.
» Harvey crossed home plate twice in game one for her second multi-run game of the year.
» Emily Barras recorded her first collegiate stolen base.

Up Next
The Bears close out their 12-game road trip with a midweek doubleheader at in-state foe Georgia State on Wednesday. The first game is slated to begin at 4 p.m., while game two is set to start at 6 p.m.

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.