Box Score

MACON, Ga. - Western Carolina softball split its road Southern Conference series with Mercer Saturday at Sikes Field. The Bears took game one 3-2 with the Catamounts bouncing back to take game two 6-5.

Western Carolina moves to 14-19 on the season and 3-2 in Southern Conference play. Mercer is now 25-14 and 1-1 in the SoCon.

The Catamount victory in game two over the Bears halts Mercer's 10-game winning streak. Also in the second game junior Taylor Sigmon came into the game in relief and tossed a career-high 15 in a game.

Mercer 3, Western Carolina 2

A tight game broke open in the bottom of the fifth when Mercer finally scratched the scoreboard. With two outs, Meghan Rud drew a walk and moved to second on a passed ball by Catamount catcher Heather Chastain. Rud scored off an RBI single by Riley Carter. Starting pitcher Jordan Garrett gave up a single and a walk to load the bases but ended the Mercer scoring striking out Rachel Hugghins.

Prior to Mercer's score in the bottom of the fifth, the game was a solid pitching and defensive duel. However, Mercer was the team that kept chipping away with at least one runner in the first five innings.

Chastain also kept the Bears off the base path early catching three Mercer runners stealing, two at third base. The Bears just found ways to take advantage of five walks in the game.

Western Carolina had a solid scoring chance in the top of the fifth inning with Karley Harkey hit by a pitch and Amber Kimrey singling down the third base line. Freshman Emily Helton reached first on a Mercer fielding error and Harkey tried to extend her base running home and was thrown out for the second out. Victoria Mariscal struck out with runners at the corners to end the Catamount threat.

Mercer second run scored in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the game-winner as WCU strung together a pair of runs in the top of the seventh.

Western Carolina rallied in the top of the seventh but fell short. The rally was spurred by a one out double by Chastain. The bases were loaded with Catamounts when pinch hitter Abigail Daniels singled and Amber Kimrey reached on a fielder's choice.

With two outs Mariscal singled to left field scoring pinch runner Kassandra Flores from third to make it 3-2. Designated player Anna Hughey cut the Mercer lead to one, 3-2, when she hit an RBI single to left center plating Daniels. The rally ended when Courtney Price struck out with bases loaded to end the game.

Garrett falls to 8-9 on the season. She gave up three runs on 10 hits and struck out four.

Western Carolina 6, Mercer 5

Western Carolina wasted no time scoring in game two. The Catamounts scored five runs to start the game.

Price gave WCU a quick 3-0 lead when she launched a three-run homerun over right center set up by Daniels and Kimrey reaching on Mercer errors. Back-to-back singles by Taylor Sigmon and Crystal Cyr had a pair of base runners on for WCU. Mariscal hit an RBI single scoring Sigmon for the fourth run of the game and Cyr scored on a wild pitch for the fifth run of the inning.

Mercer cut into the Catamount lead when it scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. The Bears got another run in the bottom of the second off a solo homerun by Quirisa Mauga.

After giving up the solo homerun to Mauga, starting Catamount pitcher Courtney Buchanan was lifted for relief pitcher Sigmon who inherited one out. Sigmon got three strikeouts and had base runner as one Bear reached first on Sigmon wild pitch.

Back-to-back doubles by Mariscal and Harkey with one out set up a run for WCU in third. Harkey notched the RBI when Mariscal scored.

After solid pitching in the second and third inning, Sigmon got into a jam in the bottom of the fourth walking three batters allowing Mercer to score two runs. With the bases loaded, Sigmon gave up a two RBI single to pull the Bears within one run, 6-5. Sigmon did recover getting Caroline Taylor to strike out to end the inning.

Sigmon controlled Mercer in the ensuing next three innings working around a pair of hits and striking out five of her career-high 15 in the last three innings of the game. Sigmon improves 3-2 on the season.

Mariscal kept her on base streak alive having reached base safely the last nine games.

Western Carolina and Mercer will play the final game of the three game Southern Conference series Sunday at Sikes Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.