Bears' Bats Come Alive to Force Split at Furman

Saturday, May 8

Greenville, S.C.

11 a.m.

Mercer University

21-21, 6-9

Furman

19-26, 8-7

Mercer

Furman

Photo by: Stephen Waldman

Bears' Bats Come Alive to Force Split at Furman

5/8/2021 5:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Madi Joice threw a one-hit shutout in game two

By: Stephen Waldman

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Mercer softball team picked up an 8-0 run-rule victory in game two of its doubleheader at Furman to keep its postseason hopes alive on Saturday.

The Bears benefited from a strong pitching performance from Madi Joice in the night cap as the freshman righty tossed a one-hit shutout with three strikeouts. The Tahlequah, Okla., native retired the final 13 Paladins she faced as she led Mercer to victory.

Mercer's offense came alive in game two as well, scoring eight runs on 12 hits. Senior Micayla Rood led the way with three hits in the game, while senior Allie Jones, redshirt senior Danielle Castleberry and sophomore Kylie Helm added multi-hit performances. Jones and Rood provided the power for the Bears in game two as Jones slugged her third home run of the season and Rood legged out her second double of the 2021 campaign. Rood, Jones and Madison Headley posted a team-high three hits on the day.

Game One: Furman 4, Mercer 2
Furman opened the scoring in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Mackense Greico that scored Ashlee Lykins. Ashlyn Donner settled in after that point and scattered two hits over the next four innings while striking out four Paladins. Greico padded Furman's lead in the bottom of the fifth, however, as she hit a two-run home run to right center to make it a three-run game.

The Bears' resiliency challenged the Paladins in the next inning as a one-out double by Jones started the rally. Annie Potter advanced her to third with an infield single before Comer sailed a double into the gap in left center plated Jones for Mercer's first run of the game. After a pitching change, Adele Braun patiently waited out a four-pitch walk to load the bases for pinch hitter Kylie Helm. The Pineville, Mo., native skied a 1-1 pitch into center field and cut the deficit to one with a sacrifice fly.

The Paladins added an insurance run in the home half of the frame on an RBI double by Amanda Fleming to make it a 4-2 game. The Bears were unable to complete the comeback.

Game Two: Mercer 8, Furman 0 (5 Inn.)
Mercer's offense wasted no time heating up in the second game as Jones golfed the first pitch of her at-bat over the wall in center to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. Joice allowed a leadoff single to Lykins and a two-out walk to Riley Ludlam in the first before forcing a fly out to center to end the inning.

Joice was locked in from that moment on as she retired the final 13 Paladins she faced. The rookie from Tahlequah, Okla., was dominant in her best outing of 2021 as she needed just 54 pitches to shut down the Paladins, including a total of 22 through the final three innings of the game.

The Bears' offense stayed hot in the top of the third as Mercer extended its lead. Rood led off the frame with a single through the right side before stealing second. She advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a two-out RBI single by Braun to pad the lead. Castleberry came up next and lined a single to left before both runners moved into scoring position on a defensive miscue by the Paladins. Following a pitching change, Comer shot a single back up the middle to score both Braun and Castleberry as Mercer's lead grew to 4-0.

Mercer continued its offensive onslaught in the following inning as it racked up five more hits. Helm started things off with an opposite-field single before pinch runner Atira McGowan stole second. She was sacrificed over to third by Sophie Sumner before Rood connected on an RBI double down the line in left field. Furman once again swapped pitchers, but it had no effect on the Bears as Headley slapped an RBI single to right. Headley swiped second as Jones worked a full count before the Calhoun, Ga., native swatted an RBI single to left field to make it a 7-0 game. Castleberry came up two batters later and capped the scoring with an infield single that scored Jones and set up the Bears for the run-rule victory.

Notables
» Mercer has won four of its last five games at Furman.
» Joice threw the first complete game shutout of her collegiate career.
» Joice allowed a season-low one hit when pitching at least five innings.
» Joice earned her first career SoCon win.
» Jones blasted her third home run of the season to tie Braun for the team lead.
» Jones recorded her 40th hit of the year and the 75th RBI of her career.
» Rood posted her team-leading sixth three-hit game of the season.
» Rood legged out her 12th career double.
» Rood and Castleberry are tied for the team lead in hits with 43 apiece.
» Headley documented her third multi-hit game of the year.
» Donner struck out a season-high six hitters.
» Comer collected her 25th hit as a member of the Bears.

Up Next
The Bears will close out its final series of the 2021 regular season with a decisive third game on Sunday that is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. on ESPN+. The winner of tomorrow's game will lock up a spot in the SoCon Tournament.

Follow the Bears
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