Mercer Splits Twin Bill at ETSU

Friday, April 23

Johnson City, Tenn.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

20-17, 0

ETSU

13-20, 0

Mercer

ETSU

Photo by: Stephen Waldman

4/23/2021 10:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Danielle Castleberry posted her first career multi-home run game

By: Stephen Waldman

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Mercer softball team split its series-opening doubleheader at ETSU, winning game one, 8-3, and dropping game two, 5-3, at Betty Basler Field on Friday afternoon.

Danielle Castleberry powered the Bears offense throughout the day, recording a pair of multi-hit games as she combined to go 4-for-7 at the plate. The Ellenwood, Ga., native slugged a pair of home runs and drove in four RBI in the series opening win. Tori Ash added a pair of doubles in the opener as well for the second multi-hit effort in her last four games. Allie Jones also produced two extra-base hits with a double and a home run on the day, while Bree Comer and Micayla Rood both recorded two hits over the two games.

In the circle, reigning SoCon Pitcher of the Week Ashlyn Donner continued her strong pitching efforts as she picked up another complete game victory. The New Ulm, Minn., native improved to a team-best 8-4 on the season while throwing her seventh complete game.

Game One: Mercer 8, ETSU 3
The Bears' patient approach to start the series paid dividends as they managed to take an early lead in the first inning. Rood, Elisa Rosado and Adele Braun all drew walks to load the bases with one out before Castleberry plated the Mercer right fielder with a sac fly to take a 1-0 advantage. Castleberry doubled the Mercer lead in the top of the third with a solo home run to right center for her first dinger of the year.

ETSU tied the game with a run in both the third and fourth innings, but the Bears battled back to retake the lead in the top of the sixth. Comer opened the frame with a walk before Annie Potter beat out a sacrifice bunt attempt to put runners on first and second. Ash sacrificed herself to move her teammates into scoring position before Rood executed a perfect squeeze play to allow pinch-runner Alyssa Woods to score the go-ahead run. The Bucs responded in the home half of the inning, however, as Saxon Radcliffe hit a solo homer to bring the home team back even at three apiece.

Mercer's bats caught fire in the seventh inning as the visitors scored five runs in the final inning to create some separation between the two teams. Jones led off with a double before scoring on a Braun sac bunt. Braun reached safely courtesy of a defensive miscue by the Bucs, which wound up immediately benefiting the Bears. Castleberry stepped up to the plate next and, after working a full count, blasted her second home run of the game with an opposite-field bomb to make it a 6-3 game. Comer walked two batters later to restart the rally before scoring on a two-out double that was lined into right field by Ash. The Bears' backstop advanced to third on the play and scored on an RBI single by Rood.

The five-run cushion would be more than enough for Donner as she held the Bucs off the scoreboard and locked up her sixth complete game victory in her last seven starts.

Game Two: ETSU 5, Mercer 3
Mercer scored the first run of game two in the top of the second as Castleberry continued to swing a hot bat with a leadoff single. Madison Headley slapped the ball perfectly down the left field line, allowing herself to make it into second base with a stand-up double. Potter produced an RBI ground out to short two batters later as Castleberry scored to make it 1-0.

ETSU broke through in the bottom of the fourth and took its first lead of the day. Julia Fritz tied the game with an RBI bunt single before Lilly Holston gave the Bucs the lead when she singled to center before Nikki Grupp drove in two more with a single to left to make it 4-1.

The Bears cut into the lead in the fifth inning when Allie Jones was rewarded with a home run after battling through a 10-pitch at-bat to pull the visiting squad within two, 4-2. The Bucs regained their three-run advantage in the sixth inning when Radcliffe singled in Holston to make it 5-2.

Mercer managed to score in the seventh when Headley plated Braun, but it was not enough as ETSU claimed a 5-3 win.

Notables
» Castleberry recorded her first career multi-home run game.
» Castleberry tallied her team-leading 40th hit and 12th multi-hit game of the season.
» Comer tallied her 20th hit of the season.
» Jones hit her second home run in the last five games.
» Jones drove in her 70th career RBI.
» Potter posted her 15th RBI of the season.
» Ash documented her first two doubles of the season in game one for her second multi-hit game.
» Donner earned her team-leading eighth win of the season.
» Donner has posted a complete-game victory in six of her last seven starts.

Up Next
The Bears close out their series at ETSU on Saturday at 1 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.