Pitts Pitches Mercer To Saturday Split

Saturday, March 8

Jacksonville, Fla.

11:30 a.m.

Mercer University

12-12

St. John's

16-8-1

Mercer

St. John's

3/8/2025 8:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Laura Vigna hit a go-ahead RBI double with one out in the sixth inning to help support a dominant outing from right-hander Hannah Pitts, as Mercer knocked off 20-win North Florida, 5-1, to close out action at the Jacksonville U-hosted Spring Break Challenge on Saturday night.

The win registered a Saturday split for the Bears (13-12) who dropped an 8-1 affair to St. John's (16-8-1) earlier Saturday. The evening triumph over UNF (20-9) snapped a three-game series skid and gave MU its first win over the Ospreys since 2014.

Mercer is still sporting a winning record through 25 games for the first time since the 2018 team won 16 of its first 25 outings.

SUMMARY
GAME 1 FINAL	St. John's 8, Mercer 1
PITCHERS	WP: Loreley Francia (9-3) LP: Grace Jones (2-2)

GAME 2 FINAL	Mercer 5, North Florida 1
PITCHERS	WP: Hannah Pitts (3-2) LP: Allison Benning (9-5)

RECORDS	Records: Mercer 13-12 (0-0 SoCon); St. John's 16-8-1 (0-0 Big East); North Florida 20-9 (0-0 ASUN)

KEY INNINGS (VS. ST. JOHN'S)
BOT 2	The Red Storm used a single and two walks to load the bases with their first three at-bats, and then did some damage. St. John's plated eight runs on four hits, three free passes and a pair of errors in the frame, including 2-run knocks from both Anese Thompson and Elanna Lysiak.

KEY INNINGS (VS. NORTH FLORIDA)
TOP 6	Grace Jones absorbed a 1-strike bean ball to lead off the frame, and pinch runner Isabel Fernandez moved all the way around to third base via a wild pitch and a groundout. Laura Vigna delivered the goods later in the frame, however, when she crushed a 1-ball offering from UNF starter Allison Benning to the gap in right field.
TOP 7	Hallie Langford legged out a 2-out infield single to spark the Mercer offense, and it responded. Tori Hedgecock delivered a run-scoring knock down the left field line that was upheld via review, Grace Jones drew another free pass and Madi Wicker registered her first hit of the night on a 2-run double to centerfield.

MU LEADERS (GAME 1)	SJU LEADERS (GAME 1)
Megan Loughren 1-3, HR, RBI Parris Wiggs 1-3 Tori Hedgecock 1-3 Gabby Ellis 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 K	Anese Thompson 2-4, 2 RBI Jess Bianco 1-4, 2 RBI London Jarrard 1-2, BB, R Loreley Francia 6.1 IP, ER, 6 K

MU LEADERS (GAME 2)	UNF LEADERS (GAME 2)
Hallie Langford 2-4, 2 R Madi Wicker 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI Grace Jones 1-1, BB, HBP, SF, RBI, R Hannah Pitts 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 K	Chloe Culp 1-2, HR, RBI Lauren Brock 1-3 Grace Shaw-Rockey 1-3

UP NEXT
The Bears will close out a 12-game stretch away from home on Wednesday when they make the short drive to Atlanta to rematch with in-state nemesis Georgia State (7-16) at the Bob Heck Softball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

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