Bears Split Twinbill With SoCon-Leading UNC Greensboro

Saturday, April 26

Macon, Ga.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

26-23, 6-9

UNC Greensboro

36-14, 12-4

UNC Greensboro

Mercer

Bears Split Twinbill With SoCon-Leading UNC Greensboro

4/26/2025 7:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – Visiting UNC Greensboro used a 2-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to fuel a 5-2 win in Saturday's opener, but Mercer scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to fuel an 8-0 mercy-rule win in the nightcap and forge a doubleheader split with the Southern Conference leading Spartans on Saturday at Sikes Field.

The latter result snapped a six-game series skid for the Bears (27-23, 7-9 SoCon) who registered the biggest win over their league counterparts since a 15-2 road triumph on April 9, 2016. The result also clinched a winning regular season campaign for the Orange & Black – the first since for the program since 2021.

The setback snapped a three-game win streak for the Spartans (36-15, 12-5) who had captured four of their last five road outings heading into the weekend.

Junior Grace Taylor struck out three and yielding just five hits in the opener, but saddled the loss anyway after surrendering four earned runs as well. Sophomore Gabby Ellis (7-5) struck out four across a 2-hit shutout in the nightcap to rake in the second win in her last three starts.

SUMMARY
GAME 1 FINAL	UNC Greensboro 5, Mercer 2
PITCHERS	WP: Reese Byrd (10-3) LP: Grace Taylor (2-2)

GAME 2 FINAL	Mercer 8, UNC Greensboro 0 (5 Innings)
PITCHERS	WP: Gabby Ellis (7-5) LP: Salem Ward (13-6)

RECORDS	Records: Mercer 27-23 (7-9 SoCon); UNC Greensboro 36-15 (12-5 SoCon)

KEY INNINGS (GAME 1)
BOT 3	Sietske Drijvers singled to lead off the frame, moved into scoring position on an ensuing sacrifice bunt by Emma Dorval and eventually scored on a 1-out RBI single off of the bat of Parris Wiggs. Grace Jones drew a 2-out bean ball to load the bases for the hosts, and Laura Vigna hit a seeing-eye single up the middle one pitch later to knot the score up at two runs apiece.
TOP 6	Jessie Shipley climbed aboard via a leadoff single and moved into scoring position on an ensuing sacrifice bunt. Jorde Chartrand gave the visitors the lead for good two batters later when she leaned into a 1-and-1 offering from Grace Taylor and blasted it over the wall in right field.

KEY INNINGS (GAME 2)
BOT 1	Hallie Langford drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the nightcap, stole second base and eventually gave Mercer the lead for good when she scampered home on an infield single from Grace Jones.
BOT 4	Mercer loaded the bases with its first four at-bats, and KiKi Daniels (pinch hit single) gave the hosts a 2-0 lead following an ill-timed fielding error by the Spartans. The dam opened up for the Bears after that, however, as MU added another score on a costly hit by pitch, then tagged reliever Reese Byrd with three-straight 1-out RBI singles that pushed the advantage out to 6-0.

MU LEADERS (GAME 1)	UNCG LEADERS (GAME 1)
Parris Wiggs 2-3, BB, RBI Hallie Langford 2-4, R Laura Vigna 1-3, RBI KiKi Daniels 1-1	Jessie Shipley 2-3, 2B, RBI, R Samantha Beck 1-2, 2 R Kaylyn Belfield 1-2, BB, RBI, R Reese Byrd 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R

MU LEADERS (GAME 2)	UNCG LEADERS (GAME 2)
Parris Wiggs 3-4, 2 RBI Hannah Rivers 2-3, 2 R Sydney Harris 1-3, RBI, 2 R Emma Dorval 1-2, HBP, R	Macy Michael 1-2 Salem Ward 1-1

UP NEXT
Mercer will close out the home portion of its regular season schedule on Sunday when it squares off with UNC Greensboro in a 1 p.m. rubber game. Admission is free.

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