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Schedule

2
Mercer MER 18-36
3
Winner Western Carolina WCU 21-24
Mercer MER
18-36
2
Final
3
Western Carolina WCU
21-24
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Mercer MER 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 7 0
Western Carolina WCU 2 0 1 0 0 0 X 3 7 1

W: Eilers, Jayme (7-6) L: Grace Taylor (11-19)

Mercer SoCon recap
SoConPhotos.com

Game Recap: Softball | | Steven Grandy, Director of Media Relations

Catamount Softball Downs Mercer in Opening Game of SoCon Tournament

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Jeralynn Wells' two-out single broke a 2-2 tie in the third inning as fourth-seeded Western Carolina defeated Mercer 3-2 in the opening game of the 2023 Southern Conference Tournament on Wednesday morning at Frost Stadium.
 
The Catamounts (21-24) advance to face top-seeded UNCG on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Mercer (18-36) drops to an elimination game on Thursday at 8 p.m. All games in the SoCon Tournament will be streamed on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with free live stats available on CatamountSports.com and SoConSports.com.
 
In the top of the first, Mercer put two aboard with nobody out, but a double play and a lineout ended the threat.
 
Brooklynn Brewington led off the WCU half of the frame with a single and reached second on a one-out base hit by Bailey Huneycutt. Following a wild pitch that advanced the runners a base, Myra Twitty singled through the left side for a 1-0 Catamount lead. Mattie Mentel executed a squeeze bunt as Huneycutt raced home for a 2-0 Catamount advantage after one inning of play.
 
Mercer managed to tie the game with a pair of runs in their half of the third. But, in the home half of the inning, Twitty led off with a walk and reached second on a groundout. Following a popout, Twitty stole third base to set the stage for Wells' big run-scoring hit.
 
The Bears threatened in the fifth inning with runners at second and third with two out, but WCU pitcher Jayme Eilers got a foul out to end the frame. Then in the sixth, Mercer had runners at second and third with one out, but again Eilers got out of trouble unscathed thanks to a strikeout and lineout to Huneycutt at third.
 
Mentel went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles and an RBI to lead the Catamounts. Twitty and Wells both finished 1-for-2 with a single, a run scored, and RBI. Huneycutt went 1-for-3 with a single and run scored. Huneycutt's base hit gave her sole possession of second place in program history for career hits with 194. Brewington finished 1-for-4 with a single. Natalie Henry was 1-for-3 with a single.
 
Eilers (7-6) allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits with one walk and four strikeouts in her ninth complete game of the season.
 
Alyssa Henry went 3-for-4 with three singles to lead Mercer. Avery Barton also had a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two singles. Grace Taylor (11-19) took the loss as she surrendered three runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout in 4.0 innings.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount softball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsb), or go to www.CatamountSports.com.
 
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Scoring Summary

Score By Innings
Play MER WCU
WCU BOT 1st Twitty singled to left field, RBI; Huneycutt advanced to third; Brewington scored. 0 1
WCU BOT 1st Mentel singled to third base, bunt, RBI; Twitty advanced to second; Huneycutt scored. 0 2
MER TOP 3rd B.Ledvina reached on a fielder's choice to pitcher, bunt, advanced to second, RBI; A.Woods advanced to third, scored on an error by p, unearned; P.Wiggs scored. 2 2
WCU BOT 3rd Wells singled to left field, RBI; Twitty scored. 2 3

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