MINNEOLA, Fla. - The Southwestern University softball team finished off a perfect weekend in Florida as sophomore Bailey Meyer struck out 24 batters in 13.0 innings of work as Southwestern came-from-behind to defeat Mount Union, 6-3, before closing things with a 6-0 win over Bridgewater State.
In game one against the Purple Raiders, Mount Union jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, chasing starter Nadia Netek and looking to be in command. Meyer checked in and began to hold the Purple Raiders in check, keeping the game at 3-0 and giving the offense a chance to strike.
Southwestern finally pushed through with a four run fifth inning thanks to a pair of RBI singles from freshman Grace Phelps and sophomore Kaitlynn Copher before senior Taylor Curtis put the Pirates ahead for good, belted a RBI double for a 4-3 lead.
Meyer continued to domiante and the Pirates added a pair of runs in the sixth to extend the lead to 6-3. It was all Meyer needed, as she put the Purple Raiders down in order for the win.
Curtis was 2-for-4 with two RBI while Phelps added a 2-for-4 day with one RBI. Copher and junior Celeste Silvas each added a RBI while Sydney Scott was 1-for-4 with a run scored. McKenna Zinke, Katie Bricarell, and Jordan Farber all had a run scored each.
Meyer pitched six innings of relief to earn the win, allowing only four hits and striking out 11 with no walks.
She was not done yet as she turned around and took the circle for the second game against Bridgewater State. Meyer took a perfect game into the sixth inning and would eventually earn her second win of the game, going the distance in a complete game shutout and striking out 13 with no walks. Meyer earned three wins in Florida over the weekend.
The offense continued to swing hot bats in the Sunshine State. Bricarell had a RBI single in the first followed by a RBI double in the third for an early 2-0 lead. Curtis added a RBI double to make it 3-0 while Copher had a two RBI single in the sixth to make it 5-0. Scott pushed it to 6-0 in the seventh with a RBI single.
Bricarell was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored while Curtis and Copher were each 2-for-4 with Curtis adding two doubles. Phelps finished 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.
Southwestern ups their record to 8-4 after the big weekend and will head back to the Lonestar State and prepare to open SCAC play this weekend beginning on Saturday as they travel to Kerrville for a weekend series against Schreiner. First pitch of doubleheader is scheduled for 1 PM.
Bailey Meyer recaps how she felt after stacking up the strikeouts in both games today pic.twitter.com/kcpzGDzDmR
— Southwestern SB (@SUPiratesSB) March 4, 2018