Greenville, S.C. – Mercer scored four unanswered runs to rally from a 3-2 deficit and down Furman, 6-3, in the rubber game of a three-game series and regular season finale for both schools on Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.
 
With the victory, Mercer (23-21, 8-9 SoCon) punched its ticket to the Southern Conference Softball Championship. Furman finished the regular season at 19-28 overall and 8-9 in the league. The Paladins lost the tiebreaker with Mercer due to the Bears' series victory this weekend, and Furman will need a Samford victory over Chattanooga this afternoon to grab the final spot in the four-team SoCon Softball Championship, which will take place May 13-15, in Greensboro, N.C.
 
The Bears grabbed a 2-0 in the top of the second inning. Adele Braun and Danielle Castleberry opened the frame with back-to-back singles and both scored on Annie Potter's one-out double into the left-center field gap.
 
Furman rallied in the bottom of the third when Ashlee Lykins reached on a one-out single and moved to second base when Mackense Greico grounded to shortstop and the throw to second base was thrown in the dirt. Mercer's Madie Joice got Emily Bertlett to pop out to third base, but Natalie Morgan followed with a three-run blast to left field to put the Paladin in front.
 
In the top of the fifth, Mercer tallied a three-spot of its own to regain the lead. Sophie Sumner and Micayla Rood both singled to open the inning and force Furman to the bullpen. Reliever Bailey Tanner retired the next batter on a sacrifice bunt and got Allie Jones to fly out to shallow left field, but Braun lined a single to left with two outs to plate two runs. Castleberry followed with an RBI double to up the Bears' lead to 5-3.
 
Joice (7-6) allowed just one Furman base runner over the final four innings en route to earning her second victory of the weekend. The right-hander allowed three unearned runs on four hits over seven innings while walking two batters and striking out one. Freshman Sierra Tufts (9-14) suffered the loss for Furman. She allowed five runs on eight hits in five and one-third innings of work.
 
Braun Castleberry and Potter each collected two hits for the Bears. Braun and Potter drove in two apiece while Castleberry picked up one RBI.
 
Morgan went 1-for-3 with three RBI and Greico finished 2-for-3 with a double for the Paladins.