Friday, February 28
Tallahassee, Fla.
10 a.m.
Mercer University
vs
College of Charleston
Bears Migrate To Tallahassee For Dugout Club Classic
2/28/2025 12:03:00 AM | Softball
MACON – The Mercer softball team will open up a 9-day trip through the state of Florida this weekend when the Bears pack up their show and head to Tallahassee, Fla., for the Florida State-hosted Dugout Club Classic.
Fans unable to make the trip to the Florida panhandle can still follow the games for free via live statistics links provided by the FSU athletics department. Mercer's contests with the host Seminoles on both Friday and Saturday are scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+/ACC Network+.
The Bears (8-6) are fresh off a 4-2 victory over in-state nemesis Georgia Southern on Wednesday evening in Macon. Newcomer Sietske Drijvers hit a 2-run go-ahead homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to help support standout efforts from right-handers Katheryn Rearley and Hannah Pitts to key that win which helped the Orange & Black snap a two-game series skid against the Eagles.
Reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week Hallie Langford continues to hold the hot bat for the Bears with a 10-for-19 (.526) batting average over the last six games to go along with six extra-base hits (1 HR), nine RBI and seven runs scored. Langford is a key part of an MU offense that has tallied a .297 batting average with 36 extra-base hits through 14 games.
Mercer has been able to rely on an extremely dependable pitching staff as well – a pen that has compiled a 2.46 team earned run average while holding opponents to a .247 batting average. Sophomore Grace Roark (3-2, 2.15 ERA) paces the squad with a trio of wins, while Pitts raked in win No. 2 of her junior campaign on Wednesday against Georgia Southern. The group has yielded just 19 extra-base hits in 91 innings pitched as well.
Fans unable to make the trip to the Florida panhandle can still follow the games for free via live statistics links provided by the FSU athletics department. Mercer's contests with the host Seminoles on both Friday and Saturday are scheduled to be streamed live on ESPN+/ACC Network+.
The Bears (8-6) are fresh off a 4-2 victory over in-state nemesis Georgia Southern on Wednesday evening in Macon. Newcomer Sietske Drijvers hit a 2-run go-ahead homer in the bottom of the sixth inning to help support standout efforts from right-handers Katheryn Rearley and Hannah Pitts to key that win which helped the Orange & Black snap a two-game series skid against the Eagles.
Reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week Hallie Langford continues to hold the hot bat for the Bears with a 10-for-19 (.526) batting average over the last six games to go along with six extra-base hits (1 HR), nine RBI and seven runs scored. Langford is a key part of an MU offense that has tallied a .297 batting average with 36 extra-base hits through 14 games.
Mercer has been able to rely on an extremely dependable pitching staff as well – a pen that has compiled a 2.46 team earned run average while holding opponents to a .247 batting average. Sophomore Grace Roark (3-2, 2.15 ERA) paces the squad with a trio of wins, while Pitts raked in win No. 2 of her junior campaign on Wednesday against Georgia Southern. The group has yielded just 19 extra-base hits in 91 innings pitched as well.
| SCOUTING THE FIELD |
| The College of Charleston (3-10) has captured three victories so far this season, including a 5-3 win over Rhode Island on Saturday in the CofC-hosted Lowcountry Classic. The Cougars will venture away from their home stadium for the first time this weekend, and have mustered just a .207 batting average and 2.5 runs per game so far this season. In the circle, the College of Charleston has gotten a pair of victories from junior Kendall Thackston (2-1, 4.92 ERA), but will carry a 6.66 team ERA into Tallahassee. Florida State (12-3), ranked No. 8 in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25, opened the Dugout Club Classic with an abbreviated 10-2 win over Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday evening, and all three of FSU losses this season have come at the hands of top-10 foes. Florida State boasts the nation's 13th-best team batting average (.361) and has scored 7.5 runs per game through 15 outings, but the pitching staff is no slouch either. The Seminoles have logged a 2.36 team ERA and have held opponents to a .241 batting average. Three different pitchers have tallied a trio of wins, including senior Annabelle Widra who sports a 3-0 record and a 1.02 ERA. Florida Gulf Coast (6-14) has now dropped four-straight games after Thursday's night's loss to Florida State, but already boast a pair of victories against Wisconsin and another against Boston College. The Eagles have compiled a .242 batting average through 20 games, but will carry the NCAA's 20th-best stolen base total (34-for-42) into the weekend. FGCU has combined to register a 4.36 team ERA, led by sophomore Allison Sparkman (4-5, 2.47) who boasts team-highs in both starts (9) and innings pitched (51.0). The hurlers for the Eagles have registered 54 strikeouts this season while walking 64. |
| UP NEXT FOR THE BEARS |
| Mercer will make its second of three stops in the Sunshine State on Tuesday when it battles Bethune-Cookman (4-13) in nearby Daytona Beach. The Bears will wrap up their Spring Break trip, March 6-8, when they take part in the North Florida-hosted Spring Break Challenge. |
| STAY CONNECTED |
| Follow Mercer Softball on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" Mercer Softball on Facebook. |
| 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 SupportMAF.com or email maf@mercer.edu. |
Players Mentioned
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballPress Conference Mercer Football (Week 5 vs East Tennessee State)
Tuesday, September 23
Mercer 38, Citadel 0 | Postgame Press Conference (9/20/25)
Saturday, September 20
Mercer v U.T. Martin VB Highlight Reel: 9/20/2025
Saturday, September 20
Mercer v North Dakota VB Highlight Reel: 9/19/2025
Saturday, September 20
