Mercer University
Florida A&M
Gibson Gets 400th Career Win as Mercer Rolls Florida A&M, 11-3
3/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MACON, Ga. – Mercer University head baseball coach Craig Gibson recorded his 400th career victory, as the Bears rolled past Florida A&M, 11-3, on Tuesday night at Claude Smith Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mercer jumped to an early lead with four runs in the third frame. Ryan Hagan started off the rally with a RBI single, before swiping two bases and eventually scoring on a throwing error for a 2-0 lead. The Bears kept it going later in the inning, using three-straight two-out hits including RBI hits from Ben Upton and Jackson Ware for a 4-0 lead. Trey Truitt's solo shot in the fourth pushed the lead to 5-0.
The Rattlers would push across a pair of runs in the sixth to break up Mercer starter Conrad Cornell's shutout bid, but the Bears answered in the home half. Hagan smacked his second home run in as many games with a two-run shot to return the lead to five, 7-2.
Mercer tagged on four more runs in the seventh for an 11-2 advantage, before Florida A&M rounded out the scoring with a run in the top of the seventh.
STAT OF THE GAME
Gibson's 400th career victory came in just his 13th season, as he becomes just the third coach in program history to reach the mark. The Macon native accomplished the feat faster than any other Mercer coach, needing only 693 games to do.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Hagan had another big outing for the Bears, finishing three-for-five with one home run and four RBIs to go along with three runs. The junior now has three multiple-RBIs contests this season, pushing his team-leading total to 13 RBIs on the year.
COACH GIBSON'S TAKE
"It means a lot to get to 400. From tee ball on, any time you play you want to win. This accomplish just says that we've had good players here and good coaches. Brent (Shade) has played a big part of this run since he's been here and I'm really excited about our staff now with guys like Willie (Stewart) and Alex (Duhaime) as well. The administration has also been very supportive, which has given us great opportunities so hopefully we can get 400 more."
"Conrad was really good tonight, just like he was against Georgia. We also had some timely hitting, as it looks like guys are starting to put some things together. Hagan is starting to grow a little bit, Kyle (Lewis) is having great at-bats nearly every time and Charlie (Madden) is squaring up balls up, so this is the kind of lineup that we thought we'd have. Our challenge as a coaching staff is that we have more talented players than we have spots. Blaise (Lezynski) came in there tonight and was really good and Ben Upton had a big double, so we're trying to get everyone rolling at the same time."
MERCER NOTABLES
- The Bears are now 81-25-1 all-time against Florida A&M with wins in 25 of the last 27 meetings.
- The Orange and Black have now won four straight games, the team's second streak of three wins or more this season.
- Mercer tied a season-high with 14 hits on the night, including an impressive eight with runners on base. The Orange and Black had 10 players find the hit column on Tuesday with three recording multiple hits.
- Cornell worked five straight scoreless innings to open the game, before surrendering a pair of runs in the sixth. The sophomore finished with a career-high six innings pitched, while giving up just three hits with five strikeouts en route to his first career victory.
- Conard Broom pitched a scoreless seventh, before Adam Corn and Andrew Kane made their collegiate debuts with each tossing an inning to close out the contest.
- Matt Meeder reached base all five times he came to the plate tonight, recording a hit, drawing walk and being hit by a pitch in three straight at-bats. He has now hit safely in all eight games this season.
- Truitt homered for the second straight game, while also notching his third multiple-hit effort the season.
- Blaise Lezynski, Steven Taylor and Ben Upton each recorded their first hits as a Bear, as Lezynski and Taylor each singled while Upton notched a RBI double in the third.
- Kyle Lewis finished 2-for-5 at the plate with one RBI, helping him match Meeder with a hit in eight straight games to open the year. He now has five multiple-hit performances this season.
RECORDS UPDATE
Mercer moves to 7-1 on the year with the victory, while Florida A&M slides to 3-5.
UP NEXT
The Bears will wrap up their series with Florida A&M tomorrow night, as they host the Rattlers with a 4 p.m. contest at Claude Smith Field.
