Mercer University
Georgia Southern
Baseball's Rally Falls Short in 11-10 Loss to Georgia Southern
3/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University baseball team dropped a heartbreaker to Georgia Southern, 11-10, on Tuesday night at Claude Smith Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Georgia Southern started the game off with two runs in the top of the first, using a pair of hits to go along with two walks and a hit by pitch to jump out to an early lead. The Bears responded in the home half, as Kyle Lewis' infield single drove in a run before Danny Edgeworth tied the game at 2-2 with a sacrifice fly.
The Eagles jumped back on top, 3-2, in the second, behind a solo home run from Evan McDonald to lead off the frame. GSU would tack on two more runs in the third, before Mercer stopped the bleeding with Edgeworth's solo shot to right center. Georgia Southern kept rolling with a three runs off the bat of Ryan Cleveland to make it 8-3. The Bears took advantage of a wild pitch and ensuing throwing error to plate their fourth run of the game in the home half to make it 8-4.
Mercer pulled within two, 8-6, on Matt Meeder's two-run single in the fifth, but the Eagles regained the momentum with back-to-back strikeouts to escape a bases-loaded jam. GSU kept the momentum going with three runs in the top of the sixth, pushing its lead to 11-6.
The Bears continued the high-scoring affair with four runs in the bottom of the seventh, as run-scoring hits from Ryan Hagan and Charlie Madden pulled them within one, 11-10. Mercer was several feet away from a walk-off home run from Lewis in the ninth, but the ball would go foul and the Bears would leave Hagan stranded 90 feet away as GSU pulled out the win.
KEY TO THE GAME
Georgia Southern's damage with two outs proved to be a big factor in the game, as the Eagles scored seven of their 11 runs in two-out situations. The Bears were able to plate four runs of their own with two outs, but finished 3-for-12 in those situations while leaving 13 runners stranded.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Meeder reached in his first four trips to the plate, including a two-run single to help key a four-run rally in the bottom of the eighth. The junior finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and two walks.
COACH GIBSON'S TAKE
"We needed to pitch a little better to give us a chance against a good club. To give up two in the first against them and have to come back all game is hard, but credit to our guys they fought, came back and had a chance to win it in the ninth."
"I thought our hitters did a great job tonight, we just need to pitch better early. They have a good team and we'll face another tough club this weekend in Kennesaw State. Our weekend rotation has been pretty good, so hopefully we can keep that going this weekend. We are just a play here or a hit there from winning four or five more games, so we need to win a few more of those moments."
MERCER NOTABLES
- The Bears are now 46-116-2 all-time against Georgia Southern, after losing for just the second time in their last seven meetings with the Eagles.
- Mercer eclipsed 10 runs for the seventh time this season and the second time in as many games. The Bears are now 5-2 when accomplishing the feat.
- The Bears, who rank second nationally in bases on balls, drew another 11 walks on Tuesday night, the fourth time they have drawn double-digit walks this season.
- The Orange and Black had a season-high nine pitchers throw in the game.
- After giving up at least one run in five of the first six innings, Mercer held Georgia Southern scoreless over the final three frames.
- Josh Knies was tagged with the loss, his first of the year, after giving up one run on one hit in 1.1 innings of work.
- The Bears closed the game with scoreless appearances from Conard Broom, Connor Herd and CJ Martin.
- Hagan added to his team-leading hitting streak, finishing 2-for-4 to push the streak to eight games. He reached base four times tonight, while recording his eighth multiple-hit performance.
- Edgeworth hit his third home run in his last two games, as he finished 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored.
- Madden drove in two runs as well, giving him four multiple-RBI performances this season.
- Truitt set a career-high with three bases on balls, while also tying for the team lead with two runs scored.
RECORDS UPDATE
Mercer moves to 9-8 with its fifth straight loss, while Georgia Southern moves to 12-5.
UP NEXT
The Bears return to action this Friday, Mar. 18, as they open a three-game series with Kennesaw State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. in Kennesaw, Ga.
