Mercer Splits On Opening Day Of Dugout Club Classic

Friday, February 28

Tallahassee, Fla.

10 a.m.

Mercer University

9-6

College of Charleston

3-11

Mercer

Coll of Charleston

Mercer Splits On Opening Day Of Dugout Club Classic

2/28/2025 7:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Mercer pushed across four runs amid a key fourth-inning rally to help support a solid outing from sophomore right-hander Gabby Ellis in 4-1 win over the College of Charleston, but ran into a buzzsaw on Friday evening in a 14-0 setback to 8^th-ranked Florida State, as the Bears split Day-1 action at the Dugout Club Classic.

The Bears (9-7) used the early scoring outburst to top the College of Charleston (4-11) for the first time in 23 years, while also snapping a three-game skid in the series with the Cougars. The evening loss snapped a two-game winning skein for the Orange & Black who fell to 0-28 all-time in the 32-year-old series with the nationally-ranked Seminoles.

SUMMARY
GAME 1 FINAL	Mercer 4, College of Charleston 1
PITCHERS	WP: Gabby Ellis (2-0) LP: Mackenzie Mathis (1-6) Save: Grace Roark (1)

GAME 2 FINAL	No. 8 Florida State 14, Mercer 0
PITCHERS	WP: Julia Apsel (4-0) LP: Hannah Pitts (2-3)

RECORDS	Records: Mercer 9-7 (0-0 SoCon); College of Charleston 3-11 (0-0 CAA); Florida State 14-3 (0-0 ACC)

KEY INNINGS (VS. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON)
TOP 4	Sydney Harris (single) and Grace Jones (double) both climbed aboard to lead off the frame, and the Bears loaded the bases five pitches later on a costly throwing error. CofC starter Mackenzie Mathis retired the next two Mercer batters in order, but the Orange & Black went on to score a quartet of unearned runs, including three on a RBI double from Megan Loughren, to take the lead for good.

KEY INNINGS (VS. FLORIDA STATE)
BOT 3	Annie Potter led off the frame with a solo homer to give the Seminoles the lead for good, but Florida State added a pair of insurance runs in the frame as well. Kennedy Harp made it a 2-0 game on a RBI triple to the gap in right field, and Edenfield followed with a RBI groundout to give the hosts a 3-run advantage.

MU LEADERS (GAME 1)	COC LEADERS (GAME 1)
Sydney Harris 2-4, 2B, R Megan Loughren 1-2, HBP, 2B, 3 RBI Grace Jones 1-3, 2B, R Gabby Ellis 6.0 IP, ER, 3 K	Kennedy Rhue 2-3, RBI Sierra Paradis 1-3, 2B Kaytlin Stacey 1-3, R Karly Smith 1-2, BB

MU LEADERS (GAME 2)	FSU LEADERS (GAME 2)
Hallie Langford 1-2 Sydney Harris 1-2 Madi Wicker 0-1, HBP	Annie Potter 3-3, HR, RBI, 3 R Kennedy Harp 2-4, 3B, HR, 2 RBI Isa Torres 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R Julia Apsel 4.0 IP, H, 4 K

UP NEXT
The Bears are scheduled for two more games at the Dugout Club Classic on Saturday. Mercer will take on Florida Gulf Coast (6-16) before getting a rematch with 8th-ranked Florida State (14-3) at 3 p.m.

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