Bears Score Six Unanswered To Dispel Bethune-Cookman

Tuesday, March 4

Daytona Beach, Fla.

5 p.m.

Mercer University

11-9

Bethune-Cookman

6-17

Mercer

Bethune-Cookman

Bears Score Six Unanswered To Dispel Bethune-Cookman

3/4/2025 8:05:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Senior Tori Hedgecock hit a pair of home runs to fuel Mercer's fourth double-digit hit attack of the season, and the Bears broke a 4-4 tie in the fourth with six unanswered runs across the last three innings to top Bethune-Cookman, 10-4, on Tuesday evening at Sunnyland Park.

The triumph put the kibosh on a two-game skid for the Bears (11-9) who improved to 3-0 in the 27-year-old series with the Wildcats (6-16). It was the third-straight loss for Bethune-Cookman who knocked off Southern Conference rival Wofford earlier this season at the Stetson Hatter Classic.

Freshman Grace Jones (2-1) struck out two in four innings of work to notch the second win of her collegiate career. Sophomore Gabby Ellis struck out three in three quality innings of relief to register her first save of the campaign.

GAME SUMMARY
FINAL	Mercer 10, Bethune-Cookman 4
PITCHERS	WP: Grace Jones (2-1) LP: Sofia Coleman (0-3) Save: Gabby Ellis (1)
RECORDS	Records: Mercer 11-9 (0-0 SoCon); Bethune-Cookman 6-16 (0-0 SWAC)

KEY INNINGS
TOP 5	Hallie Langford (error) and Parris Wiggs (single) both reached base to start the fifth, and Tori Hedgecock gave the Bears the lead for good two pitches later via a two-strike bomb to straightaway centerfield.
TOP 7	Tori Hedgecock hit a solo homer to stretch the lead out to four scores, but junior Avery Barton added a pair of insurance runs later in the frame on a 2-run double to centerfield.

MU LEADERS	B-C LEADERS
Tori Hedgecock 2-3, BB, 2 HR, 4 RBI Hannah Rivers 2-2 Avery Barton 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI Laura Vigna 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI	Kendall Macauley 2-4, HR, 3 RBI Aysiah Gonzalez 2-4 Joslynn Davis 1-3, BB Jessica Alaan 1-2, BB

UP NEXT
The Bears will make a short hop north this weekend when they trek to Jacksonville, Fla., for the JU-hosted Spring Break Challenge. Mercer is scheduled for five games across the 3-day event, including a pair of contests against both North Florida and St. John's. The Bears will open their portion of round-robin tournament play on Thursday against the Red Storm.

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