Bears Split Sunday Twinbill With Visiting Wofford

Sunday, March 24

Macon, Ga.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

12-15, 2-0

Wofford

10-12, 0-2

Wofford

Mercer

Bears Split Sunday Twinbill With Visiting Wofford

3/24/2024 8:17:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

MACON – Home-standing Mercer rallied for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to post a 4-3 comeback victory in the twinbill opener, but were unable to rally back from a seven-run deficit in the nightcap on the way to an 11-8 setback and a Sunday split with visiting Wofford at Sikes Field.

The Bears (12-16, 2-1 SoCon) ran their win streak out to three with the Sunday-opening victory, while also capturing their first conference series of the season for the first time since the 2019 campaign (Western Carolina). The Terriers (11-12, 1-2) quelled their five-game skid with the game two victory.

Freshman Grace Roark (3-1) picked up her second win in four days with the result in game one after striking out a pair of Terriers while yielding just one hit and as many runs in three innings of relief. Sophomore Grace Taylor (5-6) surrendered eight runs (six earned) in 3-1/3 innings pitched to absorb the game two loss.

Senior Alyssa Woods (2-for-2) and junior Laura Vigna (2-for-3) both turned in a pair of hits to lead MU in Sunday's opener. Junior Tori Hedgecock tallied a 2-for-3 hitting line in the second game, including her SoCon-leading 13^th home run of the campaign.

SUMMARY
GAME 1 FINAL	Mercer 4, Wofford 3
PITCHERS	WP: Grace Roark (3-1) LP: Abby Greenwood (5-7)

GAME 2 FINAL	Wofford 11, Mercer 8
PITCHERS	WP: Tayven Stephenson (4-1) LP: Grace Taylor (5-6)

RECORDS	Mercer (12-16, 2-1 SoCon); Wofford (10-12, 1-2 SoCon)

KEY INNINGS (GAME 1)
TOP 6	Megan Towey drew a 1-out walk, and moved into scoring position two batters later on an infield groundout. That set the table for a RBI single to centerfield by Hope Ingle that stretched Wofford's lead out to 3-0.
BOT 6	The Bears put runners at the corners with their first three at-bats in the frame, then tacked their first run on the board via Madi Wicker's fielder's choice RBI up the middle. A seeing-eye single up the middle off the bat of Alyssa Woods four pitches later plated an unearned run for the hosts, and Tori Hedgecock's 2-run double with two outs later in the frame provided the winning margin.

KEY INNINGS (GAME 2)
TOP 3	Wofford loaded the bases with its first three at-bats of the inning, then forced in a run when Kate Platte drew a four-pitch freebie. An ill-timed wild pitch moments later plated another score, but Megan Towery finished off the damage on the next pitch with a 2-run single to left field that put the Terriers up, 6-2
TOP 7	A pair of 2-out singles, as well as ensuing walk, juiced the bases for the visitors, and Kaytlin Greenwood finished off the scoring opportunity with a 2-run double to the gap in left field to pad Wofford's lead out to 11-4.
BOT 7	Janessa Plummer drew a leadoff walk, and Tori Hedgecock followed with a single to centerfield that set the table for Avery Barton's 3-run homer to right field. Mercer used a 2-out fielding error to get the tying run to the plate, but reliever Abby Greenwood induced a game-ending groundout.

MU LEADERS (GAME 1)	WC LEADERS (GAME 1)
Alyssa Woods 2-2, BB, RBI Laura Vigna 2-3, R Tori Hedgecock 1-3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI Grace Roark 3.0 IP, H, 2 K	Megan Towery 2-2, BB, HR Desirae Devine 2-3, BB, 2B Kaytlyn Greenwood 1-3, BB, HR Abby Greenwood 6.0 IP, ER, 4 K

MU LEADERS (GAME 2)	WC LEADERS (GAME 2)
Tori Hedgecock 2-3, HR Avery Barton 1-4, BB, HR, 4 RBI Kassidy Moore 1-2, 2 BB, HR Madi Wicker 1-3, BB	Kate Platte 2-3, 2 BB, 2B, 2 RBI Hope Ingle 2-4, 3 R Abbi Campbell 2-5, RBI, 3 R Megan Towery 2-5, 3 RBI

UP NEXT
The Bears will open up a six-game road trip on Tuesday when they head to Clinton, S.C., for a doubleheader against Presbyterian (10-20) at the Blue Hose Softball Complex. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.

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