Saturday, February 17
Macon, Ga.
2 p.m.
Mercer University
2-0
6
vs
5
Bethune-Cookman
0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Bethune-Cookman
0
0
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
5
5
1
Mercer
2
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
1
6
7
2
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vann, Christian (1-0)
L: Ivan Coutinho (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Danny Rodriguez 1
RBI: Joseph Fernando 1 ; Danny Rodriguez 3 ; Josten Heron 1
SH: Josten Heron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Joseph Fernando 1 ; Adonis Lao 1 ; Danny Rodriguez 1 ; Nate Sterijevski 1 ; Zach Spivey 1
CS: Nate Sterijevski 1
Batting:
2B: Thomas, JT 1
HR: Bassett, Le 1
RBI: Thomas, JT 2 ; Ware, Jackson 1 ; Bassett, Le 1
SH: Ware, Jackson 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Posas, David 1 ; Thomas, JT 1 ; Bassett, Le 1 ; Crotty, Alex 1 ; Yeager, RJ 1
SB: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Posas, David 2
HBP: Truitt, Trey 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
Bears Walk It Off, Clinch Series on Saturday
2/17/2018 6:18:00 PM | Baseball
Mercer rallies from three-run deficit to defeat Bethune-Cookman, 6-5
MACON, Ga. – Mercer clinched its third consecutive season-opening series as Alex Hanson scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning to seal a 6-5 victory for the Bears over Bethune-Cookman at OrthoGeorgia Park on Saturday.
After reaching base on a Wildcat fielding error, Hanson stole second base and eventually moved to third on a groundout before scoring the game-winning run with two outs. Christian Vann earned the win for Mercer (2-0) with 1.1 innings of relief.
The Bears claimed a two-run lead in the bottom of the first when David Posas scored on a wild pitch and Jackson Ware brought JT Thomas home with a safety squeeze bunt. Bethune-Cookman (0-2) responded, however, with a three-run home run by Danny Rodriguez in the third. The Wildcats knocked Mercer starting pitcher Chase Burks out in the fourth with another two runs.
Mercer rallied in the fifth and sixth innings as Thomas roped a two-RBI double to center field before freshman Le Bassett belted his first collegiate home run in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"Today's game was everything we were expecting," said head coach Craig Gibson. "We've heard [Bethune-Cookman starting pitcher Anthony] Maldonado was really good…and he was really good against us.
"I thought our guys pitched really well. We had some timely hits with JT [Thomas'] big knock and Le Bassett getting one out of the park for us. You really can't say enough about our young and new guys so far."
Player of the Game
Robert Broom and Vann provided the heavy duty work out of the bullpen, tossing a combined 6.2 innings of scoreless relief for Burks. Broom fanned six while working around three hits and a pair of walks, while Vann did not allow a baserunner.
The duo teamed up for a pivotal eighth-inning effort; after allowing two hits to start the frame, Broom struck out two batters and was relieved by Vann, who registered one as well to strand the potential go-ahead runners.
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Christian Vann (1-0)
» Loss: Ivan Coutinho (0-1)
Record Update
» Mercer: 2-0
» Bethune-Cookman: 0-2
Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts Bethune-Cookman (1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
» Bethune-Cookman: At Mercer (1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
Notables
» Mercer earned its third consecutive season-opening series win, dating back to 2016.
» Mercer has won eight in a row against Bethune-Cookman and leads the all-time series, 12-6.
» Bassett joined Brandon Michie and Sean McDermott as the three Mercer newcomers to record home runs through two games played this season.
» Posas tallied his first career multi-hit performance, going 2-for-3. He added one run scored and two stolen bases.
» Thomas recorded his 26th career multi-hit game of his career.
» Burks tallied six strikeouts, one shy of his career-high.
» Freshman RJ Yeager notched his first collegiate hit with a single in the fifth.
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
After reaching base on a Wildcat fielding error, Hanson stole second base and eventually moved to third on a groundout before scoring the game-winning run with two outs. Christian Vann earned the win for Mercer (2-0) with 1.1 innings of relief.
The Bears claimed a two-run lead in the bottom of the first when David Posas scored on a wild pitch and Jackson Ware brought JT Thomas home with a safety squeeze bunt. Bethune-Cookman (0-2) responded, however, with a three-run home run by Danny Rodriguez in the third. The Wildcats knocked Mercer starting pitcher Chase Burks out in the fourth with another two runs.
Mercer rallied in the fifth and sixth innings as Thomas roped a two-RBI double to center field before freshman Le Bassett belted his first collegiate home run in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"Today's game was everything we were expecting," said head coach Craig Gibson. "We've heard [Bethune-Cookman starting pitcher Anthony] Maldonado was really good…and he was really good against us.
"I thought our guys pitched really well. We had some timely hits with JT [Thomas'] big knock and Le Bassett getting one out of the park for us. You really can't say enough about our young and new guys so far."
Player of the Game
Robert Broom and Vann provided the heavy duty work out of the bullpen, tossing a combined 6.2 innings of scoreless relief for Burks. Broom fanned six while working around three hits and a pair of walks, while Vann did not allow a baserunner.
The duo teamed up for a pivotal eighth-inning effort; after allowing two hits to start the frame, Broom struck out two batters and was relieved by Vann, who registered one as well to strand the potential go-ahead runners.
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Christian Vann (1-0)
» Loss: Ivan Coutinho (0-1)
Record Update
» Mercer: 2-0
» Bethune-Cookman: 0-2
Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts Bethune-Cookman (1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
» Bethune-Cookman: At Mercer (1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
Notables
» Mercer earned its third consecutive season-opening series win, dating back to 2016.
» Mercer has won eight in a row against Bethune-Cookman and leads the all-time series, 12-6.
» Bassett joined Brandon Michie and Sean McDermott as the three Mercer newcomers to record home runs through two games played this season.
» Posas tallied his first career multi-hit performance, going 2-for-3. He added one run scored and two stolen bases.
» Thomas recorded his 26th career multi-hit game of his career.
» Burks tallied six strikeouts, one shy of his career-high.
» Freshman RJ Yeager notched his first collegiate hit with a single in the fifth.
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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