Mercer University
Georgia
Georgia Hangs on to Defeat Mercer 8-6
3/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer baseball team's furious late-inning comeback attempt fell just short in an 8-6 loss to Georgia on Tuesday evening at Claude Smith Field in front of a sold out crowd.
Mercer (11-4) had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but freshman Derrick Workman was caught looking on a called third strike to end the game.
Junior Ben Cornwell picked up the win for Georgia (4-8), allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out five.
The Bears jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when junior Billy Burns took the second pitch he saw from Cornwell out over the right field wall for a solo home run.
Georgia responded in a big way off Mercer starter Russell Moses in the second, scoring four runs in the frame. An RBI double by sophomore Brett DeLoach, two RBI singles and an error saw the Bulldogs go up 4-1.
UGA continued to increase its lead over the next couple inning, jumping out to an 8-2 advantage in the fifth thanks to RBI doubles by DeLoach and junior Peter Verdin.
Once Cornwell departed in the bottom of the sixth, Mercer began its comeback effort. The Bears rallied for four runs in the innings to cut Georgia's lead down to 8-6. Senior Joe Winker keyed the big inning with a two-run home run, his Atlantic Sun Conference leading seventh of the season.
Mercer was unable to finish the job; however, as its ninth inning rally was quelled by junior Tyler Maloof who worked out of the jam to record his fourth save of the season.
Junior Jacob Matthews and freshman DJ Johnson each threw two scoreless innings of relief in the contest. Johnson also had a good day with the bat, going three-for-four with three singles.
Mercer is back in action on Friday evening when it hosts A-Sun member Florida Gulf Coast University in the first of a three-game series. First pitch at Claude Smith Field on Friday is set for 6 p.m.
