Mercer University
Bethune-Cookman
Offensive Outburst Lifts Mercer to 13-4 Win Over Bethune-Cookman
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
SERIES INFOGRAPHIC
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Mercer University baseball team recorded a season-high 13 runs and 11 hits to run away with a 13-2 victory over Bethune-Cookman on Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Mercer (4-4) swept the Wildcats (0-7) with the victory and will return to Macon on a three-game winning streak.
"I'm proud of our guys for the great team effort to pick up our third-straight win and the sweep," said head coach Craig Gibson. "D.J. (Johnson) got us off to a good start and our offense took care of the rest with a great day, including some big two-out hits."
The Bears got on the board first for the third-straight game, as Kyle Lewis and Devin Bonin each drove in runs to hand the Orange and Black a 2-0 lead after three innings.
Mercer expanded that lead with its biggest outburst of the season, as it plated eight runs in a decisive fourth frame for a 10-0 advantage that put the game out of reach.
Pinch-hitter Jose Hernandez started the fireworks with a RBI double to score Nate Moorhouse. Lewis followed that with a double of his own to score Hernandez, before run-scoring hits by Bonin, Charlie Madden and Danny Edgeworth added to the Bears' tally.
Bethune-Cookman broke up the shutout with a pair of runs in the home half of the inning, but the Bears tacked on three more runs in the sixth thanks to Hernandez's sacrifice fly and Lewis' two-run blast to left field.
The run support proved to be plenty, as Mercer's pitching staff limited the Wildcats to four runs, two earned. DJ Johnson picked up the victory to improve to 1-1 on the season, after giving up two runs in five innings with six strikeouts.
The Bears' season-best effort at the plate on Sunday included a 7-for-13 performance with runners in scoring position. Lewis led the team's offense with his fifth multi-hit outing of the year, driving in a season-high four runs on two hits. Bonin went 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI in the contest, while Moorhouse and Trey Truitt also notched multi-hit efforts for Mercer.
"It was great to see the team battle back from a 1-4 start with a great weekend here in Florida," added Gibson. "We are excited to get back home and welcome a tough Florida A&M team to Claude Smith Field on Tuesday."
Mercer will be back in action on Tuesday, February 24, when it hosts Florida A&M in the first of a two-game series at home. First pitch on Tuesday is set for 6 p.m.
