Wednesday, February 28
Macon, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
8-2
7
vs
5
Kennesaw State
4-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kennesaw State
0
3
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
5
8
0
Mercer
4
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
X
7
7
0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Graveno, Zach (1-1)
L: McLinskey, Jake (0-1)
S: Spear, Nick (2)
Batting:
2B: Norman, Terence 1
HR: Smith, Jaylen 1
RBI: Allum, Taylor 1 ; Smith, Jaylen 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Williams, G 1 ; Helms, Griffin 1 ; Seres, Daniel 1 ; Franklin, Jake 1 ; Smith, Jaylen 1
HBP: Seres, Daniel 1
Batting:
2B: Ware, Jackson 1 ; Lingo, Drew 1
HR: Ware, Jackson 1
RBI: Michie, Brandon 1 ; Ware, Jackson 4 ; Lingo, Drew 1 ; Ammons, Jordan 1
SH: Yeager, RJ 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Truitt, Trey 1 ; Hanson, Alex 2 ; Thomas, JT 2 ; Ware, Jackson 2
SB: Hanson, Alex 1
HBP: Hanson, Alex 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
Photo by: Davis Dunn
Mercer Outlasts Owls, Wins Fifth Straight
2/28/2018 10:23:00 PM | Baseball
Jackson Ware keys 7-5 win with first-inning grand slam
MACON, Ga. – A first-inning grand slam and stout relief pitching paced Mercer to a midweek sweep of in-state foe Kennesaw State with a 7-5 victory Wednesday evening at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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Senior Jackson Ware's first home run of the season was a big one as he connected for a grand slam off the scoreboard after Mercer's first three batters reached base on a single, hit-by-pitch and walk. The long ball set the tone early for the Bears (8-2), who won their fifth straight game by outlasting a four-run rally by Kennesaw State (4-6).
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It was Mercer's second win over the Owls in as many days; the Bears picked up a 4-0 road win in Kennesaw, Ga., on Tuesday.
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Zach Graveno (1-1) earned his first win of the season and Nick Spear picked up his second save with a combined five innings of relief for starter Sawyer Gipson-Long, who tossed three innings. Each Mercer pitcher struck out four batters apiece while Graveno and Spear allowed only one run on four total hits over the final five frames.
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With the game tied, 4-4, in the bottom of the third, Drew Lingo dropped a RBI double down the left field line to give Mercer a lead it maintained the rest of the way. Jordan Ammons and Brandon Michie added RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings for insurance.
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Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"We're starting to build some consistency and guys are finding their roles as we get deeper into the early stages of this season," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Our pitching was really good again; I thought Sawyer [Gipson-Long] had a quality start.
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"[Zach] Graveno was really good after not being out there [on the mound] for us in a little while. Of course, [Nick] Spear was bullet at the end for us. I'm proud of our defensive effort tonight. We've got to get better defensively to contend for a championship and tonight was our first game of the year without an error. It was a good night for us."
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On Ware's first-inning grand slam & other offensive contributors:
"[Jackson's grand slam] really set the tone for us. We had some good at bats right away to get the bases loaded and he came up and put a good swing on a fastball. That's what we need him to do.
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"Jordan Ammons played great for us as well tonight with a great catch in left field and a two-out knock [RBI single]. [Brandon] Michie tacked on a big hit for us in the seventh too."
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Player of the Game
Tip the cap to Jackson Ware, who led Mercer with a pair of hits (2-for-4) and came up with the game's biggest swing for his first-inning grand slam. It was the 16th home run of his career, which ranks second on the team.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Zach Graveno (1-1)
» Loss: Jake McLinskey (0-1)
» Save: Nick Spear (2)
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Record Update
» Mercer: 8-2
» Kennesaw State: 4-6
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Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts Holy Cross (6 p.m. Saturday, March 3 in Macon, Ga.)
» Kennesaw State: Hosts Samford (4 p.m. Friday, March 2 in Kennesaw, Ga.)
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Notables
» Mercer improved to 27-17 all-time against Kennesaw State.
» Ware's grand slam was Mercer's first since JT Thomas cleared the bases on Feb. 18, 2017 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore.
» Mercer's pitching staff has struck out at least 10 batters in nine of 10 games played.
» The Bears were errorless in the field for the first this season.
» Drew Lingo started in the designated hitter slot, marking his third career start.
» Thomas extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the third inning.
» Jordan Ammons has five RBIs on five hits this season. He has started five straight games.
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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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Senior Jackson Ware's first home run of the season was a big one as he connected for a grand slam off the scoreboard after Mercer's first three batters reached base on a single, hit-by-pitch and walk. The long ball set the tone early for the Bears (8-2), who won their fifth straight game by outlasting a four-run rally by Kennesaw State (4-6).
Â
It was Mercer's second win over the Owls in as many days; the Bears picked up a 4-0 road win in Kennesaw, Ga., on Tuesday.
Â
Zach Graveno (1-1) earned his first win of the season and Nick Spear picked up his second save with a combined five innings of relief for starter Sawyer Gipson-Long, who tossed three innings. Each Mercer pitcher struck out four batters apiece while Graveno and Spear allowed only one run on four total hits over the final five frames.
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With the game tied, 4-4, in the bottom of the third, Drew Lingo dropped a RBI double down the left field line to give Mercer a lead it maintained the rest of the way. Jordan Ammons and Brandon Michie added RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings for insurance.
Â
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"We're starting to build some consistency and guys are finding their roles as we get deeper into the early stages of this season," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Our pitching was really good again; I thought Sawyer [Gipson-Long] had a quality start.
Â
"[Zach] Graveno was really good after not being out there [on the mound] for us in a little while. Of course, [Nick] Spear was bullet at the end for us. I'm proud of our defensive effort tonight. We've got to get better defensively to contend for a championship and tonight was our first game of the year without an error. It was a good night for us."
Â
On Ware's first-inning grand slam & other offensive contributors:
"[Jackson's grand slam] really set the tone for us. We had some good at bats right away to get the bases loaded and he came up and put a good swing on a fastball. That's what we need him to do.
Â
"Jordan Ammons played great for us as well tonight with a great catch in left field and a two-out knock [RBI single]. [Brandon] Michie tacked on a big hit for us in the seventh too."
Â
Player of the Game
Tip the cap to Jackson Ware, who led Mercer with a pair of hits (2-for-4) and came up with the game's biggest swing for his first-inning grand slam. It was the 16th home run of his career, which ranks second on the team.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Zach Graveno (1-1)
» Loss: Jake McLinskey (0-1)
» Save: Nick Spear (2)
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Record Update
» Mercer: 8-2
» Kennesaw State: 4-6
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Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts Holy Cross (6 p.m. Saturday, March 3 in Macon, Ga.)
» Kennesaw State: Hosts Samford (4 p.m. Friday, March 2 in Kennesaw, Ga.)
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Notables
» Mercer improved to 27-17 all-time against Kennesaw State.
» Ware's grand slam was Mercer's first since JT Thomas cleared the bases on Feb. 18, 2017 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore.
» Mercer's pitching staff has struck out at least 10 batters in nine of 10 games played.
» The Bears were errorless in the field for the first this season.
» Drew Lingo started in the designated hitter slot, marking his third career start.
» Thomas extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the third inning.
» Jordan Ammons has five RBIs on five hits this season. He has started five straight games.
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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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