Mercer Splits Thursday Games At SoCon Tournament

Thursday, May 8

Spartanburg, S.C.

10 a.m.

Mercer University

33-24

Chattanooga

40-13

Mercer

Chattanooga

Mercer Splits Thursday Games At SoCon Tournament

5/8/2025 8:32:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Fifth-seeded Mercer rallied all the way back from a 7-0 deficit in the sixth inning before succumbing to top-seeded Chattanooga, 8-7 in extra frames, but used an offensive eruption to post an abbreviated 11-3 win over seventh-seeded East Tennessee State in the late game and stay alive in Southern Conference Tournament play on Thursday in Spartanburg, S.C.

The Bears (34-24) had their seven-game win streak snapped with the early loss, but managed to tack up the 15^th win in their last 18 outings with late-afternoon offensive fireworks. Chattanooga (40-13) advanced through to Friday morning's winner's bracket play at Wofford's Hope Field, while the Bucs (18-37) saw their 2025 campaign come to a close.

Hannah Pitts (7-9) struck out one across five innings of relief work before saddling the tough-luck loss to Chattanooga. Gabby Ellis (10-5) struck out two and scattered three earned runs to grab the fifth win in her last seven appearances.

SUMMARY
GAME 1 FINAL	Chattanooga 8, Mercer 7 (9 Innings)
PITCHERS	WP: Peja Goold (24-6) LP: Hannah Pitts (7-9)

GAME 2 FINAL	Mercer 11, East Tennessee State 3 (5 Innings)
PITCHERS	WP: Gabby Ellis (10-5) LP: Sara Muir (4-5)

RECORDS	Records: Mercer 34-24; Chattanooga 40-13; East Tennessee State 18-37

KEY INNINGS (VS. CHATTANOOGA)
BOT 5	Olivia Lipari hit a leadoff single to left field to get something going for the Mocs, and Acelynn Sellers followed with her third 2-run homer of the morning to give Chattanooga a 7-0 advantage.
TOP 6	Mercer loaded the bases with its first four at-bats, and then lit the fuse to start the game-changing rally. Grace Jones, Daniella Monaco and Sydney Harris all followed with RBI singles, and KiKi Daniels completed the 4-run frame with a RBI groundout to the second baseman.
TOP 7	The Bears juiced the bases with their first four at-bats, and Grace Jones followed with a RBI single to cut the deficit back to two runs, 7-5. Hannah Rivers drew a full-count walk with the bases loaded to push in another score, and a costly error minutes later on a throw to home plate evened up the game.
BOT 9	Chattanooga used a leadoff bean ball, as well as two-straight singles, to quickly load the bases and set the table for Jayce Purdy whose 2-strike liner caught the chalk on the right field line to signal the walk-off victory.

KEY INNINGS (GAME 2)
BOT 1	Hallie Langford (hit by pitch) and Parris Wiggs (single) both reached base to start the frame for the Bears, and Grace Jones gave MU the lead for good two batters later on a RBI single through the left side. Hannah Rivers singled in Tori Hedgecock to pad the advantage to a pair of runs, but KiKi Daniels delivered the fatal blow with two outs when she hit a 2-run triple to the wall in centerfield.
BOT 3	Hannah Rivers hit a leadoff blast, Sydney Harris followed with a single down the right field line, and KiKi Daniels crushed a 1-strike offering to right field to push Mercer's advantage out to 7-0. Emma Dorval and Laura Vigna both drew 4-pitch walks in the ensuing at-bats to keep the rally going, and Hallie Langford answered the call four pitches later with a 3-run blast to right field.

MU LEADERS (GAME 1)	UTC LEADERS (GAME 1)
Grace Jones 2-5, 2 RBI, R Sydney Harris 2-4, RBI Madi Wicker 1-3, 2B, R Laura Vigna 0-0, 4 BB, R	Acelynn Sellers 4-4, 3 HR, 6 RBI Kailey Snell 4-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R Lexi Cooley 3-4, R Peja Goold 8.1 IP, 4 H, 7 K, 6 BB

MU LEADERS (GAME 2)	ETS LEADERS (GAME 2)
KiKi Daniels 3-3, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI Parris Wiggs 3-3 Hallie Langford 2-2, HBP, HR, 3 RBI Hannah Rivers 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R	Cameron Young 2-3, RBI Leinani Lutu 2-2, R Taylor Suchy 1-1, RBI Sara Muir 1-3, RBI

UP NEXT
Mercer will play another Southern Conference Tournament elimination game on Friday at 1 p.m. against the winner of Thursday's late game between second-seeded UNC Greensboro and fourth-seeded Wofford.

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