CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Mercer used a pair of five-run frames to claim the series finale over Western Carolina 13-1 in five innings on Saturday afternoon at the Catamount Softball Complex.
Senior Savannah Baldwin provided the lone offense for the Catamounts, connecting on her fourth home run of the season in the opening frame.
Mercer (15-18, 4-2 SoCon) started fast with a leadoff triple. After a pair of outs, an RBI single back up the middle gave the Bears an early lead.
Western Carolina (8-19, 1-5 SoCon) responded with a run of its own on a solo shot from Baldwin with two outs in the inning that evened the score at one in the early going.
Makenzie Martin worked around a one-out walk in the second without harm before the guests sat WCU down 1-2-3, pushing the series finale to the third inning.
The Bears offense got hot in the third, stringing back-to-back RBI singles to push a pair of runs across before two more RBI singles and a bases-loaded walk stretched the Mercer lead to 6-1. Mercer kept the Catamount bats quiet with another 1-2-3 frame that kept the deficit at five after three innings.
The guests' bats continued to stay hot with a solo homer and a pair of RBI doubles in the fourth inning that allowed the lead to swell to 11-1 headed to the home half of the fourth. However, the Bears retired the Catamounts in order for the third straight inning.
Mercer added a two-run home run in the fifth and followed with its fourth straight 3-up, 3-down frame to sit down the hosts in order and claim the 13-1 run-ruled victory and the series win.
Martin (0-7) got the start and went 2.1 innings, allowing five runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts. Taylor Norton pitched an inning allowing five runs and three walks before Tessa Juett entered to get the final five outs allowing three runs on five hits with three strikeouts.
Hannah Pitts (3-5) allowed her lone hit and run to Baldwin in the first and sat down the final 13 of the final 14 batters, including the final 13 batters, to claim the victory. Pitts totaled three strikeouts in five innings for Mercer.
The Catamounts embark on a five-game road swing that begins in Cary, N.C., next Wednesday, April 3, with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. against N.C. Central. Both contests with the Eagles will be broadcast on NCCU Sports Network, and live stats will be available at CatamountSports.com.
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