Baseball Clinches Series with 5-4 Win Over Butler in Extra Innings

Saturday, May 14

Indianapolis, IN

1 pm

Mercer University

33-19

Butler

13-35

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mercer	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	1	0	1	5	10	0
Butler	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	1	0	0	4	12	4

Baseball Clinches Series with 5-4 Win Over Butler in Extra Innings

5/14/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Mercer University baseball team recorded a thrilling 5-4 victory over Butler in 10 innings, clinching the series with the win on Saturday, May 14, at Bulldog Park.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Mercer broke up a scoreless game in the top of the sixth, plating three runs in the frame. Ryan Hagan started the scoring with a RBI bunt single that plated Kyle Lewis, before a throwing error allowed Charlie Madden to cross the dish as well. The Bears turned to the safety squeeze again later in the inning, as Hunter Bening made it 3-0 with a RBI of his own.

Butler answered in the home half of the sixth, as Chris Maranto's two-run single pulled the Bulldogs within one, 3-2. BU tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, as Gehrig Parker's run-scoring double put the two teams on even terms, 3-3.

Mercer once again utilized a safety squeeze to manufacture a run, as Bening's successful bunt plated Hagan for a 4-3 lead in the eighth. Butler came back and tied it at 4-4 in the home half on Mike Kseniak's RBI single that sent the game into extra innings.

Bening came through for the Bears again in the top of the 10th, plating the game-winning run with a single up the middle for a 5-4 advantage.

Austin Lord continued his scoreless outing in the bottom of the 10th, recording the final three outs to close out the win.

KEY TO THE GAME
Mercer turned to small ball to manufacture its runs on Saturday, laying down four sacrifice bunts and a bunt single including three successful safety squeezes. The manufactured runs were helped by 7-for-17 hitting with runners on base.

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Bening provided the heroics in Saturday's extra-inning thriller, driving in the final three runs of the game for the Bears. The junior finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of sacrifice bunts, while recording his 11th game with multiple hits and sixth contest with two or more RBIs.

NOTABLES

Mercer now holds a 5-1 advantage in the all-time series with Butler.
The Orange and Black are now 3-2 when going to extra innings.
The Bears reached double-figure hits for the 30th time this season, finishing with 10 on the afternoon. They are now 23-7 when reaching the mark.
Kevin Coulter tossed five straight scoreless innings to open the game, notching his fourth quality start of the year after giving up two runs in six innings with five strikeouts.
Lord improved to 4-1 on the year, scattering two hits over 2.2 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Jackson Ware tallied a pair of hits on Saturday, finishing 2-for-5 en route to his sixth multiple-hit effort of the year.
Danny Edgeworth's single in the eighth handed him his 13th multiple-hit effort of the season, finishing 2-for-4 to push his on-base streak to a team-leading 16 games.
Lewis stretched his hitting streak to 12 games with a pair of singles, recording his 27th multiple-hit contest of the year with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate. He also drew his 56th walk of the year, moving within four of the program's single-season record.

RECORDS UPDATE
Mercer improves to 33-19 overall, while Butler moves to 13-35 on the year.

UP NEXT
The Bears wrap up their three-game series at Butler tomorrow, May 15. First pitch at Bulldog Park is set for 12 p.m.