Mercer University
Georgia State
Ninth-Inning Rally Costs Mercer in Loss to Georgia State
3/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University baseball team saw a late lead slip away, as a ninth-inning rally lifted Georgia State to a 10-6 victory on Wednesday night at Claude Smith Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trey Truitt put the Bears up early, as he sent Mercer's first pitch of the game over the wall in right field for an early 1-0 lead. Georgia State took advantage of a bloop single and a throwing error later in the inning to tie the game, 1-1, in the top of the fourth.
Both pitching staffs controlled the game early, giving up just a combined three hits through the first five innings of play.
The Panthers broke up the pitcher's duel in the sixth though, using two straight two-out hits to key a rally before Jack Thompson capped it off with a three-run homer for a 4-1 advantage. Mercer cut the deficit to one, 4-3, in the home half, as Hunter Bening and Danny Edgeworth each drove in a run.
Georgia State took advantage of an error to add an insurance run, but the Bears responded in the home half. Edgeworth started the rally with a solo home run with two outs, before a RBI single from Truitt tied. Mercer regained the lead on a wild pitch, as Blaise Lezynski crossed the plate for a 6-5 advantage.
However, the Panthers rallied with five runs in the top of the ninth to claim a 10-6 victory.
KEY TO THE GAME
After coming into the game with a 14-1 record when leading after eight innings, Mercer was unable to continue the trend though as a late lead slipped away on Wednesday. The Panthers' game-winning rally in the ninth featured five runs, as their first seven batters reached base in the inning.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Truitt recorded his 12th multiple-hit effort of the season, reaching base three times in a 2-for-3 performance which included his sixth home run of the year. The sophomore drove in two runs in the contest for his fifth game this season with multiple RBIs.
NOTABLES
- The Bears are now 67-47 in their all-time series with Georgia State.
- Mercer was held to six hits, breaking the team's streak of four straight contests with 10 or more hits.
- The Bears came into the contest leading the nation in walks and added to that total with eight more on Wednesday night.
- The Orange and Black's pitching staff walked a season-high 11 batters in the contest.
- Connor Herd had another strong outing for the Bears, giving up one unearned run on just two hits in four innings of action.
- Austin Cox was tagged with the loss to fall to 1-1 on the season.
- Edgeworth's homer in the eighth was his fourth of the year and the Bears' 44th in 2016.
- Ryan Hagan and Kyle Lewis each reached base for the 26th time this season, however both saw their hitting streaks come to an end.
- Lewis drew two walks tonight to push his SoCon-leading total to 31 on the year.
RECORDS UPDATE
Mercer falls to 16-10 overall, while Georgia State moves to 13-12.
UP NEXT
The Bears travel to Birmingham this weekend for their first Southern Conference road series of the season, as they take on Samford. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. EST on Friday, Apr. 1.
