Mercer To Battle A Trio Of Ranked Teams At Green & Gold Classic

MACON – The Mercer softball team will hit the road for the first time this weekend when it treks to Birmingham, Ala., to take part in the UAB-hosted Green & Gold Classic. The 3-day, 5-team round-robin tournament will take place at Mary Bowers Field on the UAB campus.

Fans unable to make the trip to the Heart of Dixie can still follow all of the games in progress for free via live statistics links provided by the UAB athletics department. MU's matchup with the host Blazers on Sunday is scheduled to be broadcast live on ESPN+.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Game 1: 10 a.m. ET vs. Southern Illinois Live Statistics: MercerBears.com/Live Game 2: 3 p.m. ET vs. #25 Ole Miss Live Statistics: MercerBears.com/Live

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21
8 p.m. ET vs. #1 Tennessee Live Statistics: MercerBears.com/Live

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Game 1: 3 p.m. ET vs. #25 Ole Miss Live Statistics: MercerBears.com/Live Game 2: 5:30 p.m. ET vs. UAB Live Statistics: MercerBears.com/Live Live Video: ESPN+

LAST TIME OUT
Junior Meredith Wayland's 2-out walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh solidified a solid outing from right-hander Katheryn Rearley as Mercer slipped by visiting Georgia Southern, 5-3, on Wednesday evening at Sikes Field. The triumph helped the Bears match their best 10-game start in school history, while also giving the Orange & Black its third-straight win over Georgia Southern.

ABOUT MERCER
The Bears (8-2) are off to an 8-2 start for just the third time in school history (first since 2018) after Wednesday's walk-off win over in-state rival Georgia Southern in Macon. Mercer won its first six games of the season before dropping a 10-2 decision to Big 10 foe Iowa at the MUSB Invitational I, but has since rebounded with two wins in its last three contests. MU paces the 8-team Southern Conference in seven statistical categories, including hits (96), home runs (17) and slugging percentage (.608). The Orange & Black also ranks 16^th among NCAA Division I's 296 teams with 1.70 home runs per game. Preseason all-conference selection Grace Jones paces MU with a .429 batting average to go along with six extra-base hits and 10 RBI, while junior Grace Jones is 3-0 in the circle for the Bears and has held opponents to a paltry .282 batting clip.

SCOUTING THE FIELD
Southern Illinois (7-3) has dropped three of its last four games after opening the season with six-straight wins, but the Salukis still hold the No. 21 spot in the latest D1Softball.com Mid-Major Rankings. SIU has compiled a 3.38 team earned run average (80^th NCAA) through 10 games, and boasts victories over Charlotte (twice) and Florida Gulf Coast, as well as a 22-7 rout of Eastern Kentucky. The Salukis hit multiple homers in five of their first six games, while also tallying a pair of solo blasts in Friday's setback at Long Beach State. Ole Miss (7-4) has captured three of its last four games, including a walk-off 4-3 victory over visiting Miami (Ohio) on Monday in Oxford, Miss. Currently ranked No. 25 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25, the Rebels will tote the nation's 40^th-ranked team batting average (.344) into the weekend, while also boasting 108 hits (9.8/game) and a .435 on-base percentage (38^th NCAA). Kyra Aycock (4-1) and Lilly Whitten (3-0) have both racked up three or more wins for a pitching staff that has compiled a 3.58 team earned run average. Tennessee (10-0) took over the top spot in all four major polls this week and is one of just eight teams nationwide that still show an unbeaten win-loss record. The Lady Vols boast the nation's top team earned run average (0.33) and have already tallied six shutouts this season, while also compiling 8.11 strikeouts per seven innings. Offensively, UT has put up 1.30 home runs and 7.6 runs per game and boasts wins over six nationally-ranked teams including Nebraska, Florida Atlantic, UCLA, Florida State and Oregon. UAB (5-6) has now lost three of its last four games following Wednesday night's 6-4 setback to West Georgia in 11 innings. The Blazers have already amassed 89 hits (60^th NCAA) this season, but have mustered just 4.6 runs per game. Right-handed Olivia Cummings has won four of her five starts in 2026 while compiling a 4-0 record and a 3.03 ERA in 30.0 innings pitched, striking out 16 and walking just four batters. Abbi Perkins carries a team-best .370 batting average, while Charlee Bennett has tallied a team-high seven RBI.

SERIES RECORDS
The Bears are 0-3 all-time against Southern Illinois, but have not faced the Salukis since a 6-1 loss at the South Carolina-hosted Gamecock Invitational in 2018. MU dropped a 3-1 home decision in 2010 when the two teams first met in 2010. Friday's matchup will mark Mercer's first-ever meeting with Ole Miss. Tennessee is 2-1 all-time against the Bears, with Mercer registering a 6-3 win over the Lady Vols in the first meeting between the two sides in 1996. Then-5^th-ranked UT was on the better end of an 11-0 contest when the two teams last met at the Tennessee Invitational in 2023. Mercer is a perfect 4-0 all-time against UAB, including a pair of wins over the Blazers at the 2021 UGA Bulldog Classic. The Bears also tallied a pair of 2-0 decisions over UAB at the 2005 FIU Invitational.

ON DECK
The Bears will be back at home again next weekend, Feb. 28-March 1, when they suit up to host the 3-day, 4-team MUSB Invitational II at Sikes Field. Mercer is scheduled for games with Columbia, Presbyterian and Tennessee State at the round-robin event.

STAY CONNECTED
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SUPPORT THE BEARS
Fans can help support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation email *maf@mercer.edu*.

Mercer To Battle A Trio Of Ranked Teams At Green & Gold Classic

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Players Mentioned

Grace Jones

Katheryn Rearley

Meredith Wayland

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