DeLAND, Fla. – This weekend, the Stetson University softball team will take part in the Mercer Bears Classic, which started on Friday with the host Bears defeating Iona, 9-1. The Hatters will look to get back to their winning ways, as they've lost eight straight after racing out to a 9-6 start to the 2022 season.

Offensively, Stetson has three players posting a .300+ batting average, led by Haley Fox (.333), who is also 9-for-9 in stolen base attempts, while Brianna Clary (.325) leads the team in hits (25), runs (20) and stolen bases (14-16) and Danielle Diaz (.313) has a team-high 13 RBI. Juls Schumacher has a team-best .406 slugging percentage and leads the team with four doubles and three home runs and adds 11 RBI.

In the circle, the Hatters have used four different starting pitchers, each with at least four starts. Lauren Hobbs (1-4, five starts, three complete games) leads the team with a 2.39 ERA in 38.0 innings pitched with 22 Ks, while Lauren Klein (4-4, eight starts, four complete games) has thrown a team-high 45.1 innings and has struck out 28. 

TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK
Date: Friday, March. 11 – Sunday, March. 13
Location: Macon, Ga. | Sikes Field  
Teams: Mercer (4-16), Iona (3-7), Stetson (9-14) 

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday
6:00 PM – Mercer defeats Iona, 9-1 
 
Saturday
1:00 PM – Stetson* vs. Iona 
3:00 PM – Mercer* vs. Iona 
5:00 PM – Mercer* vs. Stetson
 
 Sunday
11:00 AM – Iona* vs. Stetson 
1:00 PM – Mercer* vs. Stetson 
 
* -Home Team  

SCOUTING MERCER 
Rebeca Laudino leads the team in runs (10) and hits (14) while Adele Braun leads in RBI with nine. Braun is the only Bear with two home runs this season. Alyssa Woods leads with two triples, while Braun and Tori Hedgecock are tied with three doubles. Hedgecock leads the team and the SoCon with 16 total walks. Hedgecock has the highest batting average at .350. 
 
Hannah Pitts leads from the circle with an ERA of 5.11 and a WHIP of 1.19. 
 
SCOUTING IONA 
Haley Weaver and Jessica Chilcott are tied with four runs each. Natalia Meray leads with eight hits and is tied with Chilcott with two doubles. Brianna Bailey and Allie Taylor have each recorded one triple on the season. Weaver leads in walks (7) while Chilcott is the only Gael to record a home run. Gael has a team-high seven RBI. Meray holds the highest batting average with .267. 
 
Kara Zazzaro leads from the circle with an ERA of 2.01 and a WHIP of 1.12.
 

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About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS (PDF).

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