March 26, 2003
Macon, Ga. - The Western Kentucky University softball team saw their 10-day road trip take a turn for the worse tonight in Macon, Ga., dropping a doubleheader to Mercer (20-12). The Hilltoppers (15-16) lost a close one in the first game, 2-1, and were then defeated 6-5 in eight innings after surrendering three runs in the bottom of the seventh to blow a 5-2 lead.
With the two losses, the Hilltoppers fall below .500 on the year and have gone 2-6 since putting together their school-record eight-game winning streak. Western returns to action on Friday when they take on Tennessee and Liberty in Knoxville, Tenn.
Mercer 2, Western Kentucky 1 (Game 1)
Junior Allison Silver was once again the victim of suspect run support, getting just one run from the WKU offense as Mercer defeated the Hilltoppers, 2-1. For the fourth time this season, Silver (7-7) took a loss after receiving one or fewer runs from her teammates.
Things looked promising for the Hilltoppers at the start as they took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after an RBI double from senior Kristalyn Smith scored sophomore Renita Pennington. The Bears evened things up in the bottom half of the inning and took the lead in the fourth off an RBI single from Stephanee Finger.
The 2-1 lead held up for the Bears and Finger, who went the distance to improve to 5-2 on the year. Western stranded seven runners in the game, with the most costly missed opportunity coming in the fifth when WKU failed to tally a run after loading the bases with two outs.
Mercer 6, Western Kentucky 5 (8 innings, Game 2)
The Western Kentucky bats picked up in the second installment with Mercer, but this time it was the defense that fell short, failing to preserve a 5-2 lead and stave off a Mercer rally in the bottom of the seventh. The Bears plated three runs in the seventh to send the game into extra innings and pulled out the 6-5 victory after shutting down the Hilltoppers in the top of the eighth.
While Western finally found some offense in the second game, it took another three-plus innings to show up. Mercer's Amy Stauffer retired the Toppers in order through the first three innings but wasn't as lucky in the fourth as WKU took a 3-1 lead off a three-run blast from Silver. It was the fourth homer of the year for Silver, this one coming with Pennington and Smith on base.
WKU tacked on two more in the top of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead. Pinch runner Becky Minnis scored following a single from Pennington and a throwing error by the Bears. Smith followed with her second RBI double of the day, scoring Pennington, to increase Western's lead to four runs. It was the ninth double of the year for Smith, tying her with junior Riley Garcia for the team lead.
Freshman Adrienne Lathrop allowed just one run over the first five innings, a solo shot by Stacy Nagel, but ran into trouble in the sixth as Nagel again caused problems for WKU's hurler, this time with an RBI double to cut the deficit to three runs.
Lathrop escaped the sixth without any further damage but was pulled in the seventh after surrendering back-to-back singles to start the inning. Silver came on in relief of Lathrop but was unable to stop the bleeding, as the Bears evened things up with a two-run single from Finger and an RBI double from Amy Parbon. The Bears loaded the bases with just one out but Silver was able to escape the jam after a force out at the plate and a line out to second base.
The eighth inning began on a positive note for the Hilltoppers, as pinch runner Jennifer Hollingsworth advanced to third base off a passed ball. Yet, Western was unable to plate the go-ahead run as Hollingsworth was tagged out at the plate two batters later, ending WKU's chances.
Western nearly escaped the bottom of the eighth after sophomore Dana Rey tagged out the lead runner at third. The Bears, however, advanced their runners as needed and scored the winning run off a single from Kristin Bissell. Silver was the pitcher of record in the losing effort, falling to 7-8 on the season.
- WKU -
