Mercer Falls Twice At SoCon Tournament

Thursday, May 9

Greensboro, N.C.

10 a.m.

Mercer University

23-29

Chattanooga

39-13

Mercer

Chattanooga

5/9/2024 8:01:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Top-seeded Chattanooga put together a 5-run third inning to fuel an abbreviated 10-1 victory over Mercer in the morning winner's bracket matchup, and seventh-seeded Western Carolina used a 3-run fifth inning to pull away from the Bears for good on the way to a 10-2 win in Thursday evening's elimination game at the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament.

The setbacks put the wraps on a 23-win season for the Bears (23-30), included in which was the most conference wins (11) for the program in six seasons, as well as the most home triumphs (14) for the Orange & Black since the 2019 campaign. The campaign was accentuated on Tuesday when four players were decorated with All-SoCon accolades as well.

SUMMARY
VS. UTC FINAL	Chattanooga 10, Mercer 1
PITCHERS	WP: Peja Goold (5-2) LP: Grace Taylor (10-14)

VS. WCU FINAL	Western Carolina 10, Mercer 2
PITCHERS	WP: Tessa Juett (14-15) LP: Hannah Pitts (7-8)

RECORDS	Mercer 23-30; Chattanooga 39-13; Western Carolina 18-34

KEY INNINGS (VS. UTC)
BOT 1	The Mocs used a leadoff single, as well as their short game, to move a runner into scoring position with two outs, then took the lead for good on Kendall Forsythe's RBI single.
BOT 3	Chattanooga got a pair of runners aboard with one down, then padded its advantage out to four runs on a 3-run blast from Kendall Forsythe. The Mocs kept the pressure coming by doubling and singling in the ensuing two at-bats, then used a costly wild pitch to pad their lead out to 6-0.

KEY INNINGS (VS. WCU)
BOT 7	Lily Bell singled to lead off the contest, but the Catamounts saw their next two batters go down in order before Jerlalynn Wells deposited a 2-ball offering from MU starter Hannah Pitts over the right field wall.
TOP 9	Savannah Baldwin drew a 1-out walk to put a pair of runners aboard for Western Carolina, and the Catamounts lit up the scoreboard again two batters later on pitcher Tessa Juett's 3-run homer.

MU LEADERS	UTC LEADERS
Janessa Plummer 2-2, BB Avery Barton 1-3, RBI Emma Dorval 1-3 Tori Hedgecock 0-1, 2 BB	Kendall Forsythe 3-3, HR, 5 RBI Kaili Phillips 2-2, BB, 2 R Camryn Cernuto 0-0, 2 BB, SAC, 2 R Peja Goold 5.0 IP, 4 H, 8 K

MU LEADERS	WCU LEADERS
Alyssa Woods 2-4 Tori Hedgecock 2-4, 2B Taylor Rogers 1-3, RBI Janessa Plummer 1-4, R	Lily Bell 4-5, RBI, 3 R Jeralynn Wells 3-4, HR, 3 RBI Tessa Juett 2-3, HR, 3 RBI Becka Wonsick 3-4, 2B, 2 R

UP NEXT
Season complete.

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