Mercer Eliminates Mocs From SoCon Softball Tournament

May 13, 2021

Rick Nyman,

(soconsports.com) GREENSBORO, N.C. – No. 4 seed Mercer used a four-run sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie and downed No. 3 Chattanooga 6-2 on Thursday evening in the third game of the Southern Conference Softball Championship at the UNCG Softball Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina. With the win, Mercer (24-22) advances to play the loser of the first contest on Friday between No. 1 UNCG (32-15) and No. 2 Western Carolina (26-24), at 3 p.m. Chattanooga’s season concludes at 13-25.

The Mocs lost game one to Western Carolina 5-0 earlier on Thursday.

Mercer struck first as Allie Jones hit a solo home run to right field with two outs in the top of the first inning. The Bears added another run in the top of the third when Tori Ash walked. Freshman Atira McGowan came on to pinch run, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Micayla Rood before scoring on a groundout from Madison Headley. Chattanooga answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Kailey Snell walked and Emily Coltharp, an all-conference second-team infielder, laid down a sac bunt and advanced to second on an error, moving Snell to third before Courtney Ball flied out to left field, scoring Snell. Hayleigh Weissenbach, a first-team all-conference outfielder, then recorded a sacrifice fly to left, plating Coltharp and tying the game at 2.

The tie game lasted until the top of the sixth when Mercer exploded for four runs. Headley singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Jones had an RBI single, scoring Headley from second. Then, Adele Braun was hit by a pitch and Danielle Castleberry reached on an error by the first baseman, moving Jones to third and Braun to second before a wild pitch allowed Jones to score. Kylie Helm came on to pinch hit for Bree Comer and had a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Brown, before Elisa Rosado grounded out to second, allowing Castleberry to score from third.

Freshman Madi Joice pitched a complete game and didn’t allow an earned run as she picked up the win.