Bears Grit Out Two Wins At SoCon Tournament

Wednesday, May 7

Spartanburg, S.C.

10 a.m.

Mercer University

32-23, 0

Furman

15-38, 0

Furman

Mercer

5/7/2025 7:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Fifth-seeded Mercer used a walk-off grand slam from Hannah Rivers to foil eighth-seeded Furman in the morning game, and then scored five times behind another complete game from Gabby Ellis to top fourth-seeded Wofford in the matinee, as the Bears matched their longest win streak in a decade with a pair of gritty wins on Wednesday at the Southern Conference Tournament.

It was the sixth- and seventh-straight victories for the Orange & Black (33-23) who has now captured 14 of its last 16 outings dating back to a 4-2 win at Georgia Southern on April 15. It was just the second loss in the last five games for the Terriers (30-21) who will play an elimination game on Thursday evening.

Mercer's winning skein is its longest since the 2018 club closed out the month of March with seven consecutive wins. MU registered a school record 10-game win streak amid its 2015 campaign. Wednesday's triumphs also marked the first time since 2017 that the Bears have captured their first two games of the SoCon Tournament.

Junior Grace Taylor (3-2) struck out three in three innings of relief to notch the win in the morning matchup with Furman. Ellis (9-5) scattered six hits and struck out three across her fifth complete game of the campaign to pick up the fourth win in her last six appearances.

SUMMARY
GAME 1 FINAL	Mercer 11, Furman 7
PITCHERS	WP: Grace Taylor (3-2) LP: Emme Buzhardt (6-15)

GAME 2 FINAL	Mercer 5, Wofford 2
PITCHERS	WP: Gabby Ellis (9-5) LP: Margaret Axelson (14-9)

RECORDS	Records: Mercer 33-23; Furman 15-38; Wofford 30-21

KEY INNINGS (VS. FURMAN)
BOT 5	Hallie Langford (single), Parris Wiggs (single) and Tori Hedgecock (walk) all reached base safely with two outs showing, and the Bears used a 2-run single from Grace Jones, as well as an ill-timed throwing error, to plate three runs and take a 6-3 lead. A run-scoring double from Hannah Rivers four pitches later gave MU a 7-3 advantage.
TOP 7	Furman opened the seventh inning with three-straight base knocks, including a 2-run double from Caitlin Goldwait, to trim its deficit in half. Kiley Perry made it a one-run game on a 1-out RBI double to right field, and the Paladins knotted the game up with two outs showing on a costly passed ball.
BOT 7	Parris Wiggs (single), Tori Hedgecock (fielder's choice) and Grace Jones (fielder's choice) all reached base to start the home half of the frame and set the table for Hannah Rivers who leaned into a 1-and-1 offering from FU reliever Emme Buzhardt and deposited it over the left field fence.

KEY INNINGS (GAME 2)
TOP 1	Parris Wiggs laced a 1-out double to the gap in right field, then stole a base before Grace Jones legged out a 2-out RBI single to give the Bears the lead for good. A throwing error by the Terriers two batters later brought a second run across home plate.
TOP 4	Sydney Harris reached base on a 1-out double, and KiKi Daniels brought home the eventual game-winning run on an ensuing double that bounced off of the wall in right field.

MU LEADERS (GAME 1)	FU LEADERS (GAME 1)
Hannah Rivers 3-3, SAC, 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI Grace Jones 3-4, 2 RBI, 3 R Parris Wiggs 3-4, 3 R Hallie Langford 1-4, R	Caitlin Goldwait 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI Kiley Perry 3-4, 2B, RBI, R Ansley Chiang 1-3, 2 R Grayson Snead 1-3, 2B, R

MU LEADERS (GAME 2)	WC LEADERS (GAME 2)
Tori Hedgecock 3-4, HR, 2 RBI Parris Wiggs 1-2, 2 BB, 2B, R KiKi Daniels 1-3, 2B, RBI Grace Jones 1-4, RBI, R	Hope Ingle 1-2, SF, RBI Kalli Petty 1-2, SF, RBI Kaytlin Greenwood 1-3, R

UP NEXT
The Bears will battle top-seeded Chattanooga (39-13) in a quarterfinal contest on Thursday morning at Hope Field. First pitch is scheduled for 10 a.m.

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