Softball Falls Twice at Mercer Nissan Invitational

Friday, March 23

Macon, GA

10:00 AM

Wright State University

8-11

Winthrop

26-9

Winthrop

Wright State

3/23/2007 12:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: WSU Athletic Media Relations

The Wright State softball team dropped a pair of decisions Friday at the Mercer Nissan Invitational in Macon, Georgia, falling to Winthrop 2-0 and to host Mercer 6-5 in 9 innings.

In the first game, Jamie Perkins and Winthrop's Izzy Trottier hooked up in a good pitcher's duel as Perkins allowed six hits while striking out four in the complete-game effort while Trottier surrendered five hits and fanned eight over seven innings for the win.

The Eagles scored a run in the fourth and added another in the seventh to round out the scoring. The Raiders had runners on second and third with two outs in both the second and sixth and had two more on first and second in the seventh, but could not push a run across.

Mercer took the early lead with a first-inning run in Wright State's second game of the day, but WSU answered with one of its own in the bottom of the frame. Jherica Williams led off with a single up the middle and after stealing both second and third, came in to score on a one-out sacrifice fly off the bat of Kristen Bradshaw.

The Bears, however, went back in front with a run in the fourth and it stayed that way until the Raiders tied it in the sixth. Bunt singles by Patti Scherer and Briauna Birl along with another Williams hit loaded the bases with no outs and Bradshaw plated Scherer with a forceout at third.

WSU, though, could not add any more despite both Birl and Bradshaw moving up a base on a double steal and the Raiders stranded a runner at second in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings.

It looked bleak as Mercer scored three times in the top of inning, but Wright State would rally again to tie the game. A Williams double to left drove in Scherer, who was placed on second due to the international tie-breaker rule, and following a Birl hit to center, a Bradshaw groundout made it 5-4. A later Mercer error would allow Birl to come in with the tying run and force another inning.

Mercer tacked on a run in its half of the ninth, but WSU looked to be in good shape to tie the game again as a Jacqueline Macy bunt advanced Bridget Henry to third with one out. Scherer, however, lined out to the pitcher and after Williams was intentionally walked, a strikeout ended the game.

Williams paced the Raider offense in the second game with three hits, two runs scored and three stolen bases while Birl also had three hits, Bradshaw three RBI and Danielle Philen two hits in as many at bats off the bench.

Wright State, now 8-12 on the season, continues play at the Mercer Nissan Invitational Saturday as the Raiders take on Harvard at 10:00 to wrap up pool play and will then have another game in the afternoon, with the time and opponent to be determined.