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Schedule

Full
3
Mercer MER 11-31
5
Winner Western Carolina WCU 17-25
Mercer MER
11-31
3
Final
5
Western Carolina WCU
17-25
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Mercer MER 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 6 3
Western Carolina WCU 0 0 0 0 5 0 X 5 2 2

W: Rice, Savannah (10-10) L: Hannah Pitts (4-14)

Catamounts vs. Mercer
Ashley Evans, WCU Communications and Marketing

Game Recap: Softball | | Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations

Myra Twitty's Grand-Slam Seals Series Win Over Mercer

Catamounts earn second conference series of the season

The Basics
Score: Western Carolina 5, Mercer 3
Records: Western Carolina 17-25; 4-8 SoCon; Mercer 11-31, 3-9 SoCon
Location: Cullowhee, N.C. | Catamount Softball Complex
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Western Carolina softball clinched its second Southern Conference series of the season with a 5-3 victory over Mercer Saturday at the Catamount Softball Complex. 
 
Turning Point 
The Catamounts scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, overcoming a 3-0 deficit. Myra Twitty capped off the five-run fifth with a grand slam. 
 
How it Happened 
  • After four scoreless innings, Mercer struck first with three runs in the top of the fifth. A walk, a Catamount error, and a single loaded the bases for the Bears. A base-clearing double plated three runs for Mercer.
  • Western Carolina had an answer for the Bears' three runs in the top of the frame with five of their own in the bottom of the inning. It all began with back-to-back Mercer errors allowing Mattie Mentel and Brooklynn Brewington to reach safely. Natalie Henry followed with a walk to load the bases. 
  • In a precarious situation, Mercer decided to pitch carefully to Catamount slugger Bailey Huneycutt resulting in the second-straight walk for a WCU player. The walk scored pinch-runner Claudia Riddle and snagged Huneycutt an RBI. 
  • Twitty approached the plate with the bases full of Catamounts. With a two-ball, one-strike count, Twitty slugged out a grand slam over the centerfield wall. 
 
 Inside the Box Score 
  • Savannah Rice got the starting nod in the circle. She gave up two earned runs on six hits and struck out eight. She improves to 10-10 on the season. 
  • From the end of the first and to the third inning, Rice struck out seven consecutive batters.
  • After Western Carolina took the lead in the fifth, Mercer tried to rally back in the sixth. A single and an error put two Bears on and a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. The Catamount defense completed a double play run down catching the Bears runners at second and third to end the inning and the threat. 
  • The Catamounts had only two hits in the game but the second one was the biggest – Twitty's grand slam. She also had four RBI and walked twice. 
 
 
News & Notes 
  • In the three-game SoCon series against Mercer, Huneycutt had a .571 batting average with four hits, five runs scored, two home runs, one of them a grand slam, and nine RBI.
  • Twitty was just below Huneycutt with a .500 batting average with three hits, four runs, three home runs, and six RBI. Her third home run of the series was a grand slam.
  • With her three home runs over the weekend, Twitty has a season-high 10 home runs this season- one behind teammate Huneycutt who has 11.
  • In her two appearances, in conference play this weekend, Rice had a 1.17 ERA giving up just two earned runs and striking out 15 in 12 innings pitched. 
  • Rice now has 127 strikeouts on the season moving her ninth in the WCU record books for strikeouts in a season. 
  • Western Carolina scored a total of 30 runs in the three-game series against Mercer hitting nine home runs in the series. 
  • The Catamounts have 41 home runs this season, as a team, and sit in fifth in the WCU record books for home runs in a season. 
  • Huneycutt's 41 RBI this season is not only a season-high for the senior it is good for a tie for sixth place in the WCU record books. She needs four RBI to take over fifth. 
 
 
Up Next
Western Carolina will play its final non-conference doubleheader of the season Tuesday, April 19, welcoming Presbyterian. The first pitch is set for 4 p.m. 
 
 
For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to www.catamountsports.com.
 
 
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Scoring Summary

Score By Innings
Play MER WCU
MER TOP 5th R. Laudino doubled to right center, 3 RBI (0-0); A. Woods scored; K. Harvey scored, unearned; A. Braun scored. 3 0
WCU BOT 5th Huneycutt walked, RBI (3-2 BFBFBB); Henry advanced to second; Brewington advanced to third; Riddle scored, unearned. 3 1
WCU BOT 5th Twitty homered to center field, 4 RBI (2-1 KBB); Huneycutt scored; Henry scored; Brewington scored, unearned. 3 5

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