Mercer University
Campbell
Mercer Overwhelms Campbell in 16-5 Win
4/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Mercer baseball team used an eight-run seventh inning to pull away for a 16-5 Atlantic Sun win over Campbell on Friday evening at Taylor Field.
The win for Mercer (19-9, 6-6 A-Sun) is its third in a row and fifth in its last six games. Five Bears had multi-hit efforts in the contest, led by freshman DJ Johnson who tallied a season-high four hits in the win.
The Bears wasted no time jumping out in front when junior Billy Burns hit the second pitch of the game out of the yard for a solo home run, his third of the season. Mercer added another run to go up 2-0 in the first thanks to a Campbell error which allowed junior Jacob Tanis to score.
The Orange and Black extended its lead to 3-0 when senior Joe Winker pulled an RBI single to right in the top of the third.
Mercer starter Brandon Love, who ranked second in the A-Sun in ERA and batting average against coming into his outing, looked solid over his first four innings of work. The Augusta, Ga. native scattered two hits while fanning five Camel hitters.
Things fell apart for Love in the bottom of the fifth though, when the Camels plated three runs in the frame. RBI doubles by sophomore Ben Fish, senior Ellis Lowe and junior Josh Holskey tied the game up, at 3-3.
The Bears bats picked Love up in the top of the sixth, however, responding with three of runs of their own. A Campbell error and a two-RBI single by Tanis saw Mercer out in front again by a 6-3 margin.
Love worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning to finish strong as he picked up his fourth win of the season. Love's final line was six innings pitched, three earned runs on seven hits and nine strikeouts.
Mercer put the game out of reach in the seventh with another big inning. An RBI single by freshman Derrick Workman, a pair of two-RBI singles by senior John Moreland and sophomore Travis Benn, a two-RBI double by senior Thomas Carroll and a wild pitch ballooned the Bears lead to 14-3.
The Mercer bullpen trio of junior Jacob Matthews, freshman Brandon Barker and senior J.T. Odom all threw an inning of relief to conclude the contest.
Mercer and Campbell conclude its series with a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m. with game two to follow at 4:30 p.m. at Taylor Field.
