Friday, April 13
Birmingham, Ala.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
26-10, 6-4
0
at
7
Samford
21-14, 8-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Mercer
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
Samford
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
4
X
7
11
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cody Shelton (2-2)
L: Cox, Austin (6-1)
S: Wyatt Burns (5)
Base Running:
CS: Ware, Jackson 1
HBP: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Posas, David 2
Batting:
HR: Brooks Carlson 1
RBI: Troy Dixon 2 ; Brooks Carlson 3 ; Austin Edens 1 ; Taylor Garris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Branden Fryman 1 ; Troy Dixon 1 ; Brooks Carlson 2 ; Ayrton Schafer 1 ; Sam Teague 1 ; Anthony Mulrine 1
SB: Branden Fryman 2
PO: Austin Edens 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Photo by: Gerrit Van Genderen
Bears Silenced in Road Loss at Samford
4/13/2018 8:51:00 PM | Baseball
Austin Cox goes seven innings in seven-run loss
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Mercer mustered just two hits and spoiled a quality start from junior Austin Cox in a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Southern Conference foe Samford on Friday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
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The Bears (26-10, 6-4 SoCon) dropped their series opener for the second straight weekend despite Cox allowing just three runs (one earned) over seven innings of work against the host Bulldogs (21-14, 8-2), who won their 10th consecutive contest. Mercer managed only six baserunners on three hit-by-pitches, one walk and a pair of infield singles, both by Jackson Ware (2-for-4), and did not get a runner past second base.
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Samford put its first two runs on the board with a pair of infield singles in the third inning. Branden Fryman reached on a bunt single and later scored on an infield single to third base by Brooks Carlson after stealing second base. Carlson would score on a single by Austin Edens in the following at bat.
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Samford broke the game open in the eighth when a shallow fly ball to center field dropped between a trio of Bears, allowing two runners to score. A two-run home run in the next at bat made it a seven-run game.
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Coach Gibson's Take
"We couldn't have asked for more out of Austin Cox on the mound tonight; he gave up just one earned run over seven innings against a really quality Samford team," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Other than that, we had a couple mistakes defensively, couldn't get a [sacrifice] bunt down and made mistakes on the base paths.
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"Those kinds of mistakes will cost you a conference game on the road to a team [Samford] that is playing really well right now. We have to regroup and get back to it Saturday."
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Player of the Game
Despite taking his first loss of the season, Austin Cox (6-1) did what he could to keep the Bears close Friday afternoon. The left-hander scattered seven hits and struck out five Bulldogs while keeping them off-balance all game. Cox finished his outing with a bases-loaded strikeout to strand three runners.
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Records Update
» Mercer: 26-10 (6-4 SoCon)
» Samford: 21-14 (8-2 SoCon)
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Cody Shelton (2-2)
» Loss: Austin Cox (6-1)
» Save: Wyatt Burns (5)
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Notables
» Mercer was last held scoreless in a 1-0 defeat at UNCG on May 19, 2016.
» Alex Hanson and RJ Yeager reached base for the 34th and 26th consecutive games, respectively.
» Cox pitched through the seventh inning for the second time this season.
» Ware's two-hit performance was his 16th of the season.
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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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The Bears (26-10, 6-4 SoCon) dropped their series opener for the second straight weekend despite Cox allowing just three runs (one earned) over seven innings of work against the host Bulldogs (21-14, 8-2), who won their 10th consecutive contest. Mercer managed only six baserunners on three hit-by-pitches, one walk and a pair of infield singles, both by Jackson Ware (2-for-4), and did not get a runner past second base.
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Samford put its first two runs on the board with a pair of infield singles in the third inning. Branden Fryman reached on a bunt single and later scored on an infield single to third base by Brooks Carlson after stealing second base. Carlson would score on a single by Austin Edens in the following at bat.
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Samford broke the game open in the eighth when a shallow fly ball to center field dropped between a trio of Bears, allowing two runners to score. A two-run home run in the next at bat made it a seven-run game.
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Coach Gibson's Take
"We couldn't have asked for more out of Austin Cox on the mound tonight; he gave up just one earned run over seven innings against a really quality Samford team," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Other than that, we had a couple mistakes defensively, couldn't get a [sacrifice] bunt down and made mistakes on the base paths.
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"Those kinds of mistakes will cost you a conference game on the road to a team [Samford] that is playing really well right now. We have to regroup and get back to it Saturday."
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Player of the Game
Despite taking his first loss of the season, Austin Cox (6-1) did what he could to keep the Bears close Friday afternoon. The left-hander scattered seven hits and struck out five Bulldogs while keeping them off-balance all game. Cox finished his outing with a bases-loaded strikeout to strand three runners.
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Records Update
» Mercer: 26-10 (6-4 SoCon)
» Samford: 21-14 (8-2 SoCon)
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Cody Shelton (2-2)
» Loss: Austin Cox (6-1)
» Save: Wyatt Burns (5)
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Notables
» Mercer was last held scoreless in a 1-0 defeat at UNCG on May 19, 2016.
» Alex Hanson and RJ Yeager reached base for the 34th and 26th consecutive games, respectively.
» Cox pitched through the seventh inning for the second time this season.
» Ware's two-hit performance was his 16th of the season.
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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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