Box Score

The Basics:
Score: Mercer 5, Western Carolina 0
Records: Western Carolina 15-27, 4-10 SoCon; Mercer 23-29, 9-9 SoCon
Location: Macon, Ga.

MACON, Ga. -- Western Carolina softball dropped the final game of a three-game Southern Conference series with Mercer falling 5-0 Sunday at Sikes Field.

Turning Point:
After four scoreless innings, Mercer finally took advantage of runners on base when the Bears found the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Western Carolina relief pitcher Lily Hayes came in with runners on first and second and walked the first batter she faced to load the bases. The Bears broke up the scoreless game when Taylor Rodgers hit a grand slam to give the Bears a 4-0 lead.

How it Happened:
After four scoreless innings, Mercer capitalized with bases loaded with a grand-slam by Rdogers. The Bears added a run in the bottom of the sixth. WCU did have bases loaded in the top of the sixth but failed to push a run across.

Inside the Box Score:
- Freshman pitcher Kinsey Liscio had a solid showing tossing 4.2 innings giving up two runs on two hits, walked three and struck out two. She takes the loss and falls to 0-5 on the year.
- L. Hayes replaced Liscio with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and promptly walked the first batter she faced to load the bases and then gave up the grand slam for the first runs of the game giving Mercer the crucial 4-0 lead.
- Senior Courtney Buchanan relieved L. Hayes tossing one inning to close out the game.
- Senior Kara Salvo broke up Mercer pitcher Anna O'Neill's no-hitter attempt with a one-out single in the top of the seventh inning.
- Mercer had four hits in the game and committed two errors.

News & Notes:
- Sophomore Hunter Gibbons had her four-game hitting streak snapped and her eight-game reached base safely broken as well.
- WCU dropped its third SoCon series of the season going 1-2 against Mercer.
- For the week, WCU had a 2-3 record splitting a pair of doubleheaders with Virginia Tech and Mercer and dropping the Sunday game.

Up Next:
Western Carolina returns home next weekend to host Samford in the Catamounts' final home Southern Conference series of the season. The Saturday doubleheader is set to begin at 3 p.m. while the Sunday single game is set for 1 p.m. Seniors Kara Salvo, Courtney Buchanan and Courtney Price will be honored between games one and two Saturday.

For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.