Macon, Ga. -- Riley Ludlam went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, including a two-out RBI double in the eighth inning, to power Furman past Mercer, 4-2, in Southern Conference softball action Sunday afternoon at Sikes Field.

The victory improves Furman to 13-21 overall and 2-4 in SoCon play.  Mercer falls to 10-28 overall and 2-7 in league play.

Ludlam gave the Paladins a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning when she drilled a two-run double into left field to score both Ashlee Lykins, who reached on an error to start the inning, and Emily Bartlett, who had was hit by a pitch by Mercer starting pitcher Hannah Pitts.

The Bears tied it in the sixth on a two-out double by Diamond Williams that plated Alyssa Woods.

Senior right-hander Bailey Tanner took over for Paladin starter Sierra Tufts in the seventh and worked around a one-out double to send the game to the eighth.

Lykins led off the decisive frame with a single, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout.  After a Bartlett fly ball to left field failed to get the run home, Ludlam slammed a one ball, one-strike pitch off the right center field fence to plate Lykins.  Ludlam then raced home from second base after Mercer right fielder Rebeca Laudino dropped a fly ball off the bat of Natalie Morgan for the Paladins' fourth run.

Tanner (2-1) retired the Bears in order in the eighth to collect the victory.

Pitts (4-10), who went the distance for Mercer and struck out 10, was charged with the loss, allowing four runs, including two earned, on five hits.

Tufts pitched well for Furman, allowing two runs on four hits over six innings.  She walked one.