Mercer University
Lipscomb
Love Leads Baseball to 10-2 Series Opening Win over Lipscomb
4/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MACON, Ga. – Junior Brandon Love threw seven quality innings and had plenty of early run support to guide the Mercer baseball team to a 10-2 Atlantic Sun win over Lipscomb on Thursday evening at Claude Smith Field.
The Bears hit three home runs in the contest, the seventh time they have hit three or more long balls in a game this season, and scored in each of the first four innings to put the game out of reach.
Love was the story, however, as the Augusta, Ga. native allowed just one run on five hits to pick up his fifth win of the season and lower his team-best ERA to 2.42.
The Orange and Black got rolling early and often against Lipscomb starter Blake Fonfara, scoring a run in both the first and second innings. Senior John Moreland made the score 2-0 in favor of the home team when he connected for a monster solo home run to right field in the bottom of the second.
Mercer added to its lead in the third when senior Thomas Carroll powered a two-run home run over the right field wall, his eighth of the season, to make the score 4-1.
Junior Billy Burns got into the home run party in the fourth when he stroked a two-run shot to left field to stretch the Bears advantage out to a 6-1 margin.
That would be more than enough run support for Love who needed only 95 pitches to get through his seven innings of work.
The Orange and Black added four more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a two-RBI single by junior Jacob Tanis to give the Bears a 10-1 lead.
Seniors J.T. Odom and Russell Moses did the rest from there, combining to allow one earned run over two innings of relief to secure the win.
The outing was of great significance for Odom, as his 96th career relief appearance moved him into sole possession of fourth place for the most pitching appearances in A-Sun Conference history.
Offensively, Burns stole the show from his lead-off spot in the order, going a perfect 4-for-4 with a stolen base and three runs scored.
Mercer returns to action on Friday night for game two of its three-game series with Lipscomb. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Claude Smith Field.
