Mercer University
Lipscomb
Offensive Woes Continue in 7-2 Loss at Lipscomb
3/23/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After the Mercer baseball team scored two runs in the first inning, Lipscomb scored seven unanswered to take home a 7-2 win on Friday evening at Ken Dugan Field.
While Mercer (16-8, 1-3 A-Sun) possesses one of the most potent offenses in the nation that has not been the case thus far in conference play. The Bears failed to score more than five runs for the fourth time in as many league games to date.
Mercer wasted no time jumping on the board in the top of the first when junior Evan Boyd belted a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left field for a lead-off home run to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Redshirt sophomore Nick Backlund followed suit just a batter later when he delivered another solo home run, his team-leading eighth of the season, to put the Bears in front by a score of 2-0.
The Bison got one back in the bottom of the second after an RBI double by junior Aaron Sandoval made the score 2-1.
Lipscomb battled all the way back in the bottom of the fourth when an RBI single by Sandoval tied things up at 2-2.
The home team didn't stop there, however, using a three-run bottom of the fifth to take their first lead of the game. An RBI single by senior M.L. Williams capped the scoring in the frame to make the score 5-2.
That is the way things stayed the rest of the way as Mercer threatened multiple times going forward, but left nine runners on base in all as it failed to mount a comeback attempt.
Lipscomb starter Connor Sinclair fought through a two-hour rain delay to pitch 6.2 innings and allow just the two runs on six hits to pick up his third win of the season.
Mercer starter Brandon Barker took the loss in his first Friday night start of the season after appearing as the Bears Saturday night starter for the first five weekend series of the season. The Woodstock, Ga. native went four innings and allowed five runs, four of which were earned, on nine hits in the loss.
Boyd and Backlund had two hits apiece in a losing effort.
Mercer returns to action tomorrow afternoon for game two of its three-game series with Lipscomb. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Ken Dugan Field.
