Taylor Honored, Bears Tabbed Third In SoCon Preseason Poll
2/1/2024 3:00:00 PM | Softball
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Sophomore right-hander Grace Taylor was crowned as the Southern Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year, while the Mercer softball team picked up a first-place vote on the way to being projected to finish third in the race for the 2024 regular season title, in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches that was released on Thursday afternoon.
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The Bears were among three teams (UNC Greensboro, Samford) to split the eight first-place votes, but the Spartans emerged as the team to beat with 46 total points in the poll. Samford raked in a trio of first-place votes before settling in to the runner-up spot with 43 points, while the Orange & Black nestled into the No. 3 position with 34 points.
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Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
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A product of Debary, Fla., and University High School, Taylor registered a team-best 13 victories and a 3.82 earned run average as the ace for the Bears last season, while also striking out 62 batters and holding opponents to a .270 batting clip. She made 45 appearances (28 starts) and logged 190-2/3 innings pitched across the 2023 campaign, including 13 complete-game efforts, while also notching a pair of saves. Taylor recorded nearly half (6) of her victories and a 2.47 against SoCon competition.
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The Bears return four starting position players and a wealth of pitching experience off of last year's club that posted 20 victories, including a pair of triumphs in the SoCon Tournament. Among the returnees are Taylor and fellow SoCon All-Freshman Team honoree Avery Barton, as well as senior Tori Hedgecock who ranked second among league leaders with 14 home runs.
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Mercer will lift the lid on its 2024 regular season, Feb. 9-10, when it hosts the three-team Heart of Georgia Classic at Sikes Field. The Bears are scheduled for a pair of games amid opening-day action at the event, including a 3:30 p.m. contest against Dayton.
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The Bears were among three teams (UNC Greensboro, Samford) to split the eight first-place votes, but the Spartans emerged as the team to beat with 46 total points in the poll. Samford raked in a trio of first-place votes before settling in to the runner-up spot with 43 points, while the Orange & Black nestled into the No. 3 position with 34 points.
Â
Points were awarded on a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, and coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Â
A product of Debary, Fla., and University High School, Taylor registered a team-best 13 victories and a 3.82 earned run average as the ace for the Bears last season, while also striking out 62 batters and holding opponents to a .270 batting clip. She made 45 appearances (28 starts) and logged 190-2/3 innings pitched across the 2023 campaign, including 13 complete-game efforts, while also notching a pair of saves. Taylor recorded nearly half (6) of her victories and a 2.47 against SoCon competition.
Â
The Bears return four starting position players and a wealth of pitching experience off of last year's club that posted 20 victories, including a pair of triumphs in the SoCon Tournament. Among the returnees are Taylor and fellow SoCon All-Freshman Team honoree Avery Barton, as well as senior Tori Hedgecock who ranked second among league leaders with 14 home runs.
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Mercer will lift the lid on its 2024 regular season, Feb. 9-10, when it hosts the three-team Heart of Georgia Classic at Sikes Field. The Bears are scheduled for a pair of games amid opening-day action at the event, including a 3:30 p.m. contest against Dayton.
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