Sunday, March 28, 2010

MACON, Ga. – It was a day of firsts for the Mercer Bears and junior pitcher Jenni Holtz as the team split a double-header on Saturday with the visiting Campbell Camels, 1-0 and 0-2.

The firsts came in many forms with perhaps the most important being the Bears(17-15, 1-1 A-Sun) first Atlantic Sun conference win against the defending A-Sun champs in Campbell. The second was Holtz’s first no-hit performance of 2010 in a stunning 1-0 victory in 10 innings.

Holtz, the game one starter and was able to keep her calm, cool demeanor in check throughout her second extra inning performance this week. On Thursday, Holtz threw eight innings against Furman in a 5-3 win and on Saturday the junior from Tracy, Calif. threw 132 pitches in the complete game, no-hit shutout.

“Huge,” said head coach Mike Raynor in reference to Holtz’s performance. “Throwing that kind of game against the defending A-Sun champs is something special. She is so mentally tough. It was great to watch her work.”

The Bears and Camels have a history of these types of close games harkening back to last season’s A-Sun championship where the Camels came out with the 1-0 victory. On Saturday it was the Bears who were able to survive game one. Mercer scored in the bottom of the tenth as sophomore Stephanie Canara was able to take home on a wild pitch from Camel pitcher Christina Melton.

“It was a little nerve racking there in the extra innings,” Holtz said. “But I am just glad I had my defense behind me they played amazing and I couldn’t have done it without them.”