Bears Continue Road Trip At Western Carolina

Friday, March 29

Cullowhee, N.C.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

Western Carolina

3/28/2024 9:47:00 PM | Softball

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – The Mercer softball team will continue a six-game road trip on Friday and Saturday when the Bears pack up their show and head to Cullowhee, N.C., for a weekend series against Southern Conference rival Western Carolina at the Catamount Softball Complex.

The squads will open up the weekend with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Friday, and close out the set with a high noon contest on Saturday. Fans unable to make the trip to Cullowhee can still follow the games for free via live statistics links provided by the WCU athletics department. All three games are slated to be streamed on ESPN+ as well.

Winners in four our of their last six outings, the Bears (13-17, 2-1 SoCon) are fresh off of a doubleheader split at Presbyterian on Tuesday. Mercer came out on the wrong end of a 2-1 decision in the opener with the Blue Hose, but piled on the offense in the nightcap on the way to a 7-0 triumph. Right-handers Grace Taylor and Hannah Pitts went the distance in both contests, respectively, while sophomore Avery Barton doubled and drove in four runs to key victory in the second game.

Mercer has registered an impressive .354 (57-for-161) clip at the plate over its last six outings, including eight or more hits in three of those contests. That impressive plate display has led to 7.7 runs per game over that same span, including a three-game set against SoCon nemesis Wofford that saw the Bears outscore WC 22-16 en route to taking the series win.

SERIES HISTORY

Mercer leads the all-time series with WCU, 18-14, but the 'Cats have captured four of the last five with the Bears, including a 3-2 triumph in last season's SoCon Tournament. The squads split a pair of 2-run contests the last time that they met in Cullowhee, N.C.

SCOUTING THE CATAMOUNTS

The Catamounts (7-17, 0-3) will ride a six-game skid into the weekend, including a pair of close losses at Queens on Tuesday that put the wraps on a six-game road trip for the 'Cats. Five of WCU's seven victories this season have been recorded in the comfy confines of the Catamount Softball Complex. The Catamounts had their five-game home win streak snapped with a 6-0 setback to then-No. 7 Tennessee last Thursday.

WCU will tote one of the league's top home run-hitting squads into the weekend as evidenced by 17 long balls already this season. The Catamounts rank fifth among the league's eight teams in both team batting average (.273) and earned run average (3.82), while also carrying the SoCon's seventh-best fielding percentage (.946). Freshman infielder Lily Bell leads the team with a .373 batting average, although a lion's share of the run production has come from senior Savannah Baldwin who registered team-bests in both doubles (7) and RBI (18).

In the circle, Western Carolina has been paced by junior Tessa Juett who boasts a 5-8 record and a 3.25 ERA in 75-1/3 innings pitched. She has struck out 60 batters and walked 34.

UP NEXT FOR THE BEARS

The Bears will hit the road again on Tuesday when they trek to Athens for a 6:30 p.m. contest against No. 3 Georgia (28-4).

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SUPPORT THE BEARS

Fans can help support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation, visit S upportMAF.com or email maf@mercer.edu.