Saturday, April 21
Cullowhee, N.C.
2 p.m.
Mercer University
27-14, 7-7
4
at
1
Western Carolina
4-33, 2-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Mercer
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
4
10
0
Western Carolina
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
2
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Burks, Chase (5-3)
L: Baker (1-5)
S: Broom, Robert (2)
Batting:
2B: McDermott, Sean 1
RBI: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Ware, Jackson 1 ; McDermott, Sean 2
SH: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Truitt, Trey 1 ; Yeager, RJ 1 ; McDermott, Sean 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Ammons, Jordan 1 ; Lingo, Drew 1 ; Yeager, RJ 1
SB: Hanson, Alex 1
CS: Yeager, RJ 1
PO: Posas, David 1
Batting:
2B: Bigbie 1
RBI: C. Robinson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sparks 1
HBP: Holcomb 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
1B
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
Photo by: Gerrit Van Genderen
Bears Snap Skid Behind Stout Pitching Performance
4/21/2018 5:40:00 PM | Baseball
Chase Burks, Robert Broom shine in 4-1 road victory
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Chase Burks and Robert Broom surrendered just one run on six hits as Mercer snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 Southern Conference win over Western Carolina at Childress Field on Saturday afternoon.
Â
Burks (5-3) earned the win with a five-inning start while Broom cruised through the final four frames to help the Bears (27-14, 7-7 SoCon) get back to .500 in conference action. The win also knotted the three-game weekend series at one game apiece heading into Sunday's finale.
Â
Four different Bears laid down four sacrifice bunts Saturday, three of which led to all of Mercer's runs. The first sacrifice came in the second inning by RJ Yeager, who moved Jordan Ammons and Drew Lingo into scoring position for Sean McDermott, who doubled down the left-field line to score them and break the game open.
Â
Mercer added its third run in the fifth off the bat of Jackson Ware, who singled to the right side to score Alex Hanson from second base. Trey Truitt moved Hanson into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. An insurance run came in the ninth when Hanson singled home Yeager after the latter reached on a fielding error to start the inning.
Â
Neither Burks or Broom issued a walk to the host Catamounts (4-33, 2-12) as they combined for seven strikeouts. After allowing Western Carolina's lone run in a two-hit second inning, Burks did not allow the following 12 batters to get past first base before handing the game over to Broom.
Â
Player of the Game
Robert Broom delivered his fifth four-plus-inning performance of the season to help Mercer get back in the win column for the first time since April 8. The junior right-hander allowed just two hits, including an infield single, while striking out four batters. He entered the game with one runner on in the sixth and eventually stranded runners on the corners with two punch-outs.
Â
Coach Gibson's Take
"We have been challenging the guys to be a little bit better; pitch better, defend better and hit better. I thought we did all of that today," said head coach Craig Gibson. "We got a solid start out of [Chase] Burks and [Robert] Broom was outstanding like we expected him to be.
Â
"Offensively, we were better in situational hitting today and were able to get runners moving with four sacrifice bunts throughout key moments in the game."
Â
Records Update
» Mercer: 27-14 (7-7 SoCon)
» Western Carolina: (4-33, 2-12 SoCon)
Â
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Chase Burks (5-3)
» Loss: Tristan Baker (1-5)
Â
Up Next
» Mercer: At Western Carolina (1 p.m. Sunday, April 22 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
» Western Carolina: Hosts Mercer (1 p.m. Sunday, April 22 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
Â
Notables
» Craig Gibson (497-345) is three wins away from career victory No. 500.
» All four runs were keyed by three of the four sacrifice bunts Mercer laid down.
» Alex Hanson (2-for-4) has reached base safely in 64 of 66 games dating back to last season.
» Three Bears – Hanson, Ware and Yeager – had two-hit performances.
» Hanson's two-hit performance tied him with Truitt for a team-leading 19 multi-hit games.
» Opponents are hitting just .145 against Broom over 18 innings pitched in SoCon play.
» Ware has reached base in seven straight games.
Â
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.
Â
Â
Burks (5-3) earned the win with a five-inning start while Broom cruised through the final four frames to help the Bears (27-14, 7-7 SoCon) get back to .500 in conference action. The win also knotted the three-game weekend series at one game apiece heading into Sunday's finale.
Â
Four different Bears laid down four sacrifice bunts Saturday, three of which led to all of Mercer's runs. The first sacrifice came in the second inning by RJ Yeager, who moved Jordan Ammons and Drew Lingo into scoring position for Sean McDermott, who doubled down the left-field line to score them and break the game open.
Â
Mercer added its third run in the fifth off the bat of Jackson Ware, who singled to the right side to score Alex Hanson from second base. Trey Truitt moved Hanson into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. An insurance run came in the ninth when Hanson singled home Yeager after the latter reached on a fielding error to start the inning.
Â
Neither Burks or Broom issued a walk to the host Catamounts (4-33, 2-12) as they combined for seven strikeouts. After allowing Western Carolina's lone run in a two-hit second inning, Burks did not allow the following 12 batters to get past first base before handing the game over to Broom.
Â
Player of the Game
Robert Broom delivered his fifth four-plus-inning performance of the season to help Mercer get back in the win column for the first time since April 8. The junior right-hander allowed just two hits, including an infield single, while striking out four batters. He entered the game with one runner on in the sixth and eventually stranded runners on the corners with two punch-outs.
Â
Coach Gibson's Take
"We have been challenging the guys to be a little bit better; pitch better, defend better and hit better. I thought we did all of that today," said head coach Craig Gibson. "We got a solid start out of [Chase] Burks and [Robert] Broom was outstanding like we expected him to be.
Â
"Offensively, we were better in situational hitting today and were able to get runners moving with four sacrifice bunts throughout key moments in the game."
Â
Records Update
» Mercer: 27-14 (7-7 SoCon)
» Western Carolina: (4-33, 2-12 SoCon)
Â
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Chase Burks (5-3)
» Loss: Tristan Baker (1-5)
Â
Up Next
» Mercer: At Western Carolina (1 p.m. Sunday, April 22 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
» Western Carolina: Hosts Mercer (1 p.m. Sunday, April 22 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
Â
Notables
» Craig Gibson (497-345) is three wins away from career victory No. 500.
» All four runs were keyed by three of the four sacrifice bunts Mercer laid down.
» Alex Hanson (2-for-4) has reached base safely in 64 of 66 games dating back to last season.
» Three Bears – Hanson, Ware and Yeager – had two-hit performances.
» Hanson's two-hit performance tied him with Truitt for a team-leading 19 multi-hit games.
» Opponents are hitting just .145 against Broom over 18 innings pitched in SoCon play.
» Ware has reached base in seven straight games.
Â
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.
Â
Mercer 38 | Princeton 14 Post Game Press Conference (10.11.25)
Sunday, October 12
Mercer v. UNC Greensboro Women's Soccer Highlight Reel: 10/11/2025
Sunday, October 12
Mercer Football Press Conference (Week 7 vs Princeton)
Monday, October 06
Mercer 45 | Samford 21 Post Game Press Conference 10//5/25
Sunday, October 05
