Mercer Blows Late Lead in 5-4 Loss to North Florida

Friday, May 11

6 pm

Mercer University

North Fla.

Mercer Blows Late Lead in 5-4 Loss to North Florida

5/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

MACON, Ga. – In a game it needed to have, the Mercer baseball team came out on the wrong end of a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to North Florida on Friday evening at Claude Smith Field.

After Mercer (31-19, 10-12 A-Sun) scored a run in the bottom of the eighth, UNF (29-21, 10-12 A-Sun) rallied for two runs of its own, off three different Mercer relievers, in the top of the ninth to steal the win.

The loss now ties Mercer with UNF at 10-12 in league play for sixth in the A-Sun Conference standings with only five conference games left for each team this season.

The Bears started the game off with a sacrifice fly by junior Travis Benn in the bottom of the first to plate a run and take an early 1-0 lead.

After a solo home run by senior Andrew Karmeris in the top of the second tied things up at 1-1, the Orange and Black responded with another quality frame in the bottom of the third. A sacrifice fly by junior Logan Gaines and an RBI single by sophomore Derrick Workman put Mercer back in front, 3-1.

Karmeris kept the Ospreys in the game, however, when he belted his second home run of the game, this time a two-run shot, off Mercer Brandon Love to tie the game at 3-3.

That is the way things would stay as both starting pitchers settled down moving forward. Love went eight innings and allowed three runs on eight hits to go along with two strikeouts in a tough luck no-decision.

The Bears seemed destined for victory after pushing a run across in the bottom of the eighth. Another sacrifice fly by Gaines made the score 4-3, but UNF had other ideas heading into the ninth. A fielder's choice RBI groundout by Andrew Karmeris and an RBI single by junior Paul Karmeris gave the Ospreys the lead back, at 5-4.

The Orange and Black tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth, but redshirt sophomore Nick Backlund struck out with two outs and runners on first and second to end the game.

Not to be lost in the shuffle of unfortunate events for Mercer was the outstanding day put forth by redshirt sophomore Austin Barrett. The Mims, Fla. native had a career-high four hits and two runs scored in a losing effort.

Mercer continues its three-game weekend series with UNF tomorrow evening. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Claude Smith Field.