Bears Host Georgia Southern On Wednesday

MACON – The Mercer softball team will put the wraps on a six-game home stand on Wednesday evening when the Bears bunker down to battle in-state nemesis Georgia Southern at Sikes Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and admission is free.

Fans unable to make the trip to Middle Georgia can still follow the game in progress for free via a live statistics link provided by the MU athletics department. The game is also slated to be streamed live on ESPN+.

The Bears (7-6) split four games at the MUSB Invitational over the weekend, combining for 25 runs in routs of both Alabama State (17-0) and Middle Tennessee State (8-1) before succumbing in close contests against Jacksonville (4-1) and UConn (2-1). The Orange & Black tacked up 33 hits and 27 runs across the 4-game stretch, including 13 extra-base hits and a pair of homers.

Senior Madi Wicker will tote a team-best .476 batting average into Wednesday's outing against the Eagles, and has registered base hits in each of her last five games, including a perfect 3-for-3 hitting line in Thursday's 17-0 shellacking of the Hornets that also included two doubles. Redshirt senior Hallie Langford, however, boasts the hot bat for the Bears right now after registering a .533 (8-for-15) batting average with nine RBI and six runs scored in five games last week. She raked in MU's first Southern Conference Player of the Week accolade on Monday afternoon.

Mercer's pitching staff is out to one of its hottest starts in program history after having totaled a 2.50 team ERA through 13 games so far, while holding opponents to a .246 batting average. Sophomore Grace Roark (3-2, 2.15 ERA) boasts a team-best three wins from the circle so far, with four other pitchers showing a win as well. Sophomore Gabby Ellis has struck out 10 in 14 innings pitched, and has held opponents to a paltry .196 batting clip.

SERIES HISTORY

Georgia Southern leads the 38-year-old series, 53-17, and has won six of the last seven matchups heading into Wednesday's meeting in Macon. Mercer will be seeking its first win in the series since a 5-1 decision in Statesboro on April 19, 2023, and its first win over Georgia Southern at Sikes Field since a 5-4 nailbiter on Feb. 13, 2019.

SCOUTING GEORGIA SOUTHERN

The Eagles (8-5) will ride a four-game win streak into Macon after registering a perfect run at the GATA Challenge in Statesboro on Friday and Saturday. The Eagles bookended the weekend by toughing out a pair of wins against Campbell, while also easing past both Fairfield and Oakland. GSU has tallied nearly 10 hits (9.8) and seven runs (6.8) per game across its last five games, including double-digit hit totals on a trio of occasions.

Freshman first baseman Payton Cushman will bring a team-best .375 batting average into Macon on Wednesday to go along with four extra-base hits (1 HR), three RBI and six runs scored, while sophomore shortstop Delanie Thames has already accounted for a pair of homers, seven RBI and as many runs scored. Junior outfielder Emma Davis, who leads off action for GSU on offense, has already drawn seven walks and four stolen bases in 2025 which has fueled her team-high 10 runs scored.

The Eagles have been stout from the circle as well, registering a 2.36 team ERA while also holding opponents to just 6.3 hits and 2.8 runs per 7 innings. Right-handers Maddie Johnson (4-2, 2.01) and Bailey Holland (2-1, 2.53) have soaked up a bulk of the appearances in the circle for the Eagles, with Johnson also boasting 28 strikeouts in 38-1/3 innings of work.

UP NEXT FOR THE BEARS

The Bears will head to Tallahassee, Fla., this weekend to take part in the Florida State-hosted Dugout Club Classic. Mercer is scheduled to take on the 10th-ranked Seminoles on both Friday and Saturday. The Bears also have games two games scheduled with the College of Charleston, as well as a Saturday tilt with Florida Gulf Coast.

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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.

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Players Mentioned

Gabby Ellis

Hallie Langford

Grace Roark

Madi Wicker

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