MACON, Ga. –The Mercer baseball team began its annual Orange and Black World Series earlier this week, signifying the end of the fall baseball season.
The series is a best-out-of-five situation that splits the team into two squads, the Grey team and the White team, at the coaches’ discretion. The teams split the first two games of the series with the White team taking game one 4-3, and the Grey team taking game two, 3-2.
In game one, the Grey team got on the board first when a White team error allowed a run scored to make the score 1-0. The White team struck back in the top of the third with two runs on a passed ball and an RBI groundball by sophomore
Jacob Tanis to make the score 2-1.
The teams would trade off runs over the next few innings giving the White team a 3-2 advantage going into the seventh inning. The Grey team stormed back in the bottom half of the frame when sophomore
Billy Burns led off with a bunt single and advanced to second on a throwing error by reliever
J.T. Odom. After a walk and a sacrifice bunt, Odom issued a balk to plate the tying run. Sophomore
James Kimsey came in to relieve Odom but allowed the game-winning run to score when he hit freshman
Austin Barrett to make the final score 4-3.
Senior
Lath Guyer picked up the win for the Grey team going five innings, allowing just two runs on two hits. Junior
Justice French got the start for the White team going 4.2 innings allowing three runs on six hits.
In game two, the Grey team lit up the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning. After back-to-back infield hits put runners on first and second with one out. Barrett came up and hit a ground ball to Tanis at third base, who committed a throwing error to allow one run to score. Freshman
Conor Szczerba was next up and hit an RBI groundout to make the score 2-0.
The White team responded in the bottom of the frame when junior Jimmy McMahon led off with a solo home run to make the score 2-1. Freshman
Travis Benn came up two batters later and drove a ball into right-center field for an RBI single, making the score 2-2. Sophomore
Nick Adams helped the White team take the lead for good when he singled home Butts to cap the scoring for the game at 3-2.
Junior
Chris Newell pitched a gem for the White team, going five innings and allowing two runs on just five hits. Kimsey pitched the final two innings of the game allowing just one hit to earn the save. Sophomore
David Randall took the loss after pitching four innings and allowing all three runs on six hits.
Both squads will complete the final three games of the series starting with game three tonight. Games four and five will take place on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.