Friday, February 23
Macon, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
4-2
15
vs
4
UNC Asheville
2-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UNC Asheville
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
4
8
4
Mercer
0
2
5
2
3
1
0
2
X
15
18
3
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cox, Austin (2-0)
L: FULBRIGHT, Jordan (0-2)
Batting:
RBI: LANKFORD, Brandon 1 ; TROOST, Chris 1 ; HARRIS, Kole 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GRUSZKA, Joe 1 ; PAGANO, Carmine 1 ; LANKFORD, Brandon 1 ; SERRICCHIO, Tyler 1
HBP: SERRICCHIO, Tyler 1
Batting:
2B: Truitt, Trey 1 ; Crotty, Alex 1 ; Michie, Brandon 1
HR: Hanson, Alex 2 ; Thomas, JT 1
RBI: Hanson, Alex 3 ; Thomas, JT 1 ; Crotty, Alex 1 ; Michie, Brandon 4 ; Ammons, Jordan 2 ; Yeager, RJ 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Truitt, Trey 2 ; Hanson, Alex 2 ; Thomas, JT 3 ; Crotty, Alex 1 ; Ware, Jackson 2 ; Michie, Brandon 2 ; McDermott, Sean 2 ; Posas, David 1
SB: Ware, Jackson 1 ; Michie, Brandon 1
HBP: Truitt, Trey 1 ; Ware, Jackson 1
Game Leaders
AB
6
R
2
H
6
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
Photo by: Woody Marshall
Mercer Rolls Past UNC Asheville in Series Opener
2/23/2018 10:43:00 PM | Baseball
Bears record 23 strikeouts, 18 hits in 11-run victory
MACON, Ga. – Mercer recorded a program-record 23 strikeouts and exploded offensively to defeat UNC Asheville, 15-4, and take game one of the weekend series Friday night at OrthoGeorgia Park.
Five Mercer (4-2) pitchers combined for the 23 strikeouts, including junior left-hander Austin Cox, who notched 13 punch-outs over five innings of work to earn his second win of the season. The quartet of Andrew Kane, Tanner Hall, Carter Varga and Nick Spear tossed one inning apiece and all tallied at least two strikeouts while holding the Bulldogs to one hit.
After falling in a 3-0 hole through one inning of play, Mercer responded with 13 runs over the following five innings. The Bears finished with a season-high 18 hits, six of which were off the bat of Brandon Michie. Senior Alex Hanson extended his power surge with a two-home run effort while JT Thomas came up with his first long ball of the season as well.
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"Tonight was a good lesson for us; our Friday starter scuffled early but once he settled in, things went great," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Once Austin [Cox] got into a groove, he really set the tone for a solid night by our pitching staff. UNC Asheville is a good club to beat…it's always good to start off the weekend with a win."
On the Bears' offense:
"Brandon Michie had a big night with six hits…we need him to keep going. For us to do well this spring, [Michie] needs to do well. I'm proud of him. Alex Hanson is swinging a good bat too. Guys are picking one another up right now and I'm happy to see that."
Player of the Game
Brandon Michie had a career day at the plate, going 6-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored. The junior second baseman tallied hits in the second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth innings to raise his batting average to .455 for the season.
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Cox (2-0)
» Loss: Jordan Fulbright (0-2)
Record Update
» Mercer: 4-2
» UNC Asheville: 2-3
Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts UNC Asheville (2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
» UNC Asheville: At Mercer (2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
Notables
» Friday's game was the first between Mercer and UNC Asheville.
» Mercer's 23 strikeouts are the most by a team nationally this season. The total is also tied for the second most in Southern Conference history (Wofford, 25, 2009).
» Thomas extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 2-for-3 effort.
» Nick Spear recorded four strikeouts in one inning. His second strikeout ended with a passed ball, allowing the runner to reach first base and extend the inning by one at bat.
» Senior Jackson Ware made his first career start at third base. Ware had started 145 games at Mercer prior to Friday, all of which were in the outfield.
» Jordan Ammons earned his first career start (left field) and continued to swing an effective bat, going 1-for-2 with two RBI. He is 3-for-4 with four RBI in limited action this season.
» Kyle Dockus picked up his first hit as a Bear in the eighth inning.
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
Five Mercer (4-2) pitchers combined for the 23 strikeouts, including junior left-hander Austin Cox, who notched 13 punch-outs over five innings of work to earn his second win of the season. The quartet of Andrew Kane, Tanner Hall, Carter Varga and Nick Spear tossed one inning apiece and all tallied at least two strikeouts while holding the Bulldogs to one hit.
After falling in a 3-0 hole through one inning of play, Mercer responded with 13 runs over the following five innings. The Bears finished with a season-high 18 hits, six of which were off the bat of Brandon Michie. Senior Alex Hanson extended his power surge with a two-home run effort while JT Thomas came up with his first long ball of the season as well.
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"Tonight was a good lesson for us; our Friday starter scuffled early but once he settled in, things went great," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Once Austin [Cox] got into a groove, he really set the tone for a solid night by our pitching staff. UNC Asheville is a good club to beat…it's always good to start off the weekend with a win."
On the Bears' offense:
"Brandon Michie had a big night with six hits…we need him to keep going. For us to do well this spring, [Michie] needs to do well. I'm proud of him. Alex Hanson is swinging a good bat too. Guys are picking one another up right now and I'm happy to see that."
Player of the Game
Brandon Michie had a career day at the plate, going 6-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored. The junior second baseman tallied hits in the second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth innings to raise his batting average to .455 for the season.
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Cox (2-0)
» Loss: Jordan Fulbright (0-2)
Record Update
» Mercer: 4-2
» UNC Asheville: 2-3
Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts UNC Asheville (2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
» UNC Asheville: At Mercer (2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
Notables
» Friday's game was the first between Mercer and UNC Asheville.
» Mercer's 23 strikeouts are the most by a team nationally this season. The total is also tied for the second most in Southern Conference history (Wofford, 25, 2009).
» Thomas extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 2-for-3 effort.
» Nick Spear recorded four strikeouts in one inning. His second strikeout ended with a passed ball, allowing the runner to reach first base and extend the inning by one at bat.
» Senior Jackson Ware made his first career start at third base. Ware had started 145 games at Mercer prior to Friday, all of which were in the outfield.
» Jordan Ammons earned his first career start (left field) and continued to swing an effective bat, going 1-for-2 with two RBI. He is 3-for-4 with four RBI in limited action this season.
» Kyle Dockus picked up his first hit as a Bear in the eighth inning.
Follow the Bears
For complete coverage of Mercer Baseball, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerBaseball (Twitter), /MercerBaseball (Facebook) and @Mercer.Baseball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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