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Game 2 box score (PDF)MACON, Ga. – McKenzie Woody went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBIs to lead the Mercer University softball team to victories in both halves of a doubleheader against Northern Kentucky University on Saturday in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
Mercer, which improved to 31-17 overall and 13-8 in the Atlantic Sun, took the opener by a 4-1 score before cruising to a 9-1 win in the nightcap.
Kaitlyn Haney finished the doubleheader 3-for-4 from the plate, and she added two runs and one RBI. Kaylynn Sloat went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and runs, while batting in one run and being hit by two pitches on the day.
Krista Kennedy went 3-for-3 with a home run to lead the Bears in the opening game. Mercer plated two runs in the third inning to break open the game's scoring on an RBI single by Woody and a sacrifice fly by Haney as the Bears took a 2-0 advantage.
Kennedy's home run came in the next frame, and a double by Sloat allowed Natalie Shiver, who reached base on an error earlier in the inning, to score Mercer's final run of the game.
NKU's lone run came in the top of the sixth inning when
Dee Dee Davis hit a lead-off home run over the center-field wall to cut the Norse deficit to 4-1.
Michelle Carson singled to start the seventh inning, but the Bears were able to hold on for the win.
Julia Rice (9-4) earned the victory on the mound for Mercer after allowing one run on five hits with seven strikeouts in the complete-game effort.
Alyssa Enrique (2-10) took the loss for the Norse, surrendering three earned runs on 10 hits with one strikeout and one walk.
In the nightcap,
KC Straley got the Norse off to a quick lead with her first home run of the season in the first inning, but it was all Mercer from there. The Bears scored three runs in each of the game's first three innings to ensure the 9-1 victory.
Kirsten Stevens (12-4) went four innings, allowed just four hits and struck out six batters in the win.
Davis finished the day 3-for-6 from the plate to lead NKU, which fell to 3-37 on the year and 1-19 in the Atlantic Sun.
Dani Devlin finished 2-for-4 with a walk for the Norse, while
Katelyn Roy and
Mandi McQueen also picked up hits on the day.
NKU returns home on Tuesday as the Norse host Eastern Kentucky for a doubleheader at the Frank Ignatius Grein Softball Field. First pitch for Game 1 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Links to live stats will be available at nkunorse.com.
