Mercer Tops Furman on Mother's Day to Extend Season

Sunday, May 9

Greenville, S.C.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

23-21, 8-9

Furman

19-28, 8-9

Mercer

Furman

Photo by: Stephen Waldman

Mercer Tops Furman on Mother's Day to Extend Season

5/9/2021 5:56:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Adele Braun hit the go-ahead, two-run single in the fifth inning

By: Stephen Waldman

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Mercer softball team secured its spot in the Southern Conference Tournament with a 6-3 victory over Furman at Pepsi Stadium on Sunday.

The Bears recorded 10 hits in the game, including multi-hit performances by Adele Braun, Danielle Castleberry and Annie Potter. Braun and Potter also recorded a game-high two RBI apiece. Mercer also received offensive contributions from Micayla Rood, Madison Headley, Allie Jones and Sophie Sumner.

In the circle, freshman Madi Joice scattered four hits over seven innings of work while limiting the Paladins to three unearned runs.

How It Happened
After a scoreless first inning, the Bears were able to push across multiple runs in the second inning. Braun and Castleberry shot a pair of singles back up the middle to start the rally. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Potter laced a double into the gap in left center to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Furman responded in the bottom of the third inning when Natalie Morgan hit a three-run home run to put the Paladins on top, 3-2.

The Bears' bats came alive in the top of the fifth when back-to-back hits by Sumner and Rood chased Furman's starting pitcher, Sierra Tufts. The duo advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt before Braun put Mercer back in front with a two-out, two-run single to left field. Castleberry extended the Bears' advantage to 5-3 in the next at-bat as she scored Braun from first on a double to left.

Potter led off the sixth inning with a hit and stole second base before being scored on a seeing-eye single by Headley to put the Black and Orange up, 6-3. Joice shut down the Paladins, retiring the final six hitters she faced in order to clinch the series win and send the Bears to the Southern Conference Tournament.

Notables
» Mercer secured a top-four finish in the Southern Conference and a berth to the SoCon Tournament.
» Castleberry collected her team-leading 45th hit and 14th multi-hit game of the season.
» Castleberry tied Elisa Rosado for the team lead in doubles with nine.
» Jones has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games while extending her hitting streak to nine straight games.
» Joice improved to 7-6 on the season.
» Joice tossed her second consecutive complete game and ninth of the season.
» Joice dropped her team-best ERA to 2.99.
» Potter posted the seventh multi-hit performance of her rookie campaign.
» Braun recorded her fourth multi-hit and multi-RBI performance.
» Braun has tallied multiple hits and RBI in the same game for the third time.

Up Next
The Bears will open the SoCon Tournament against top-seeded UNCG at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday from the UNCG Softball Stadium in Greensboro, N.C. All games for the Southern Conference Tournament will be streamed 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.