The KSU softball team lost only their fifth game of the season, losing to Mercer 4-2 on Wednesday, March 20.
This was the final Owls and Bears matchup for the regular season between the two teams. The loss dropped the Owls to 20-5 on the season with a 4-2 record in the Atlantic Sun Conference. With the win, Mercer is now 18-14 and 7-2 in the A-Sun.
The Bears started off the game with two runs in the first inning as a result of a two-run single up the middle from Krista Kennedy. The Owls struck back in the third inning with a sacrifice fly to right field by senior Sharon Swanson which scored junior Carly Van Auken from third. Swanson recorded her 20th RBI of the season.
Mercer extended its lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth on three consecutive hits in the inning. Randi Rea hit an RBI double to left center in the inning. Junior Angie Dascoli added a run in the fifth on a single to right field which plated junior Sara Sikes. After the Owls scored in the fifth, they did not score again for the rest of the game.
Pitcher Amanda Henderson took the loss for the Owls, her first of the season, giving up three hits and one earned run in two innings. Senior pitcher Abbey Mixon took over for Henderson in the third inning and pitched four innings.
In Abbey Mixon’s four innings of work she gave up five hits, two earned runs, and recorded three strikeouts. The Owls tallied six hits while the Mercer recorded eight hits. Pitcher Julia Rice received the win for the Bears.
