Saturday, February 24
Macon, Ga.
5 p.m.
Mercer University
6-2
5
vs
4
UNC Asheville
2-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UNC Asheville
1
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
7
1
Mercer
1
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
X
5
8
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gipson-Long, Sawyer (1-0)
L: WHITECAVAGE, Eric (0-1)
S: Spear, Nick (1)
Batting:
2B: TROOST, Chris 1 ; CATALANO, Jake 1
RBI: MADOLE, Jake 1 ; SERRICCHIO, Tyler 2
SF: MADOLE, Jake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GRUSZKA, Joe 1 ; TROOST, Chris 2 ; LANKFORD, Brandon 1
SB: CATALANO, Jake 1
CS: SERRICCHIO, Tyler 1
HBP: LANKFORD, Brandon 1 ; MADOLE, Jake 1 ; SERRICCHIO, Tyler 1
Batting:
HR: Bassett, Le 1
RBI: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Michie, Brandon 1 ; Bassett, Le 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Truitt, Trey 1 ; Hanson, Alex 1 ; Thomas, JT 1 ; Bassett, Le 1 ; Yeager, RJ 1
SB: Hanson, Alex 2
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
Photo by: Davis Dunn
Bassett Powers Bears to Sweep of UNC Asheville
2/24/2018 9:43:00 PM | Baseball
Mercer stages four-run rally to defeat Bulldogs, 5-4
MACON, Ga. – Freshman Le Bassett launched a pinch-hit, three-run home run to cap a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning as Mercer swept UNC Asheville with a 5-4 win Saturday evening at OrthoGeorgia Park.
Trailing 4-1 entering the home half of the seventh, Mercer (6-2) responded with a three-hit frame, highlighted by Bassett's long ball. RJ Yeager led off the inning with a single and was plated shortly after by a RBI-single from Alex Hanson. Bassett was then called upon as a pinch-hitter for Jackson Ware and aptly came through with his fourth home run of the year to give Mercer the 5-4 advantage.
Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0) earned the win with 2.2 innings of strong relief, allowing only one hit while striking out five Bulldogs. Nick Spear earned his first save of the season, tossing 1.1 innings as he struck out four batters and allowed only one baserunner via a walk.
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"This was a great game three tonight and I'm proud of how our team pulled it out," said head coach Craig Gibson. "UNC Asheville's starting pitcher was really good and kept us off balance for five innings, but we were able to stay patient and eventually get some runners on.
"Le Bassett was able to get a ball out of the park for us – what a big moment for him."
On Mercer's pitching efforts:
"You can't say enough about [our pitchers]. [Robert] Broom was outstanding with two strikeouts with the bases loaded in the fifth. We then went to Sawyer [Gipson-Long] and Nick Spear, both of whom were phenomenal."
On the importance of earning an early-season sweep:
"To win in Greenville [S.C. at the Southern Conference Tournament], you've got to win four in a row. Tonight, we proved we're capable of winning three consecutive games, so we have to continue striving toward putting together some consistency.
"I think we're starting to settle in a bit. It was a great weekend; we got the job done today."
Player of the Game
Tip the cap to Le Bassett, who rose to the occasion in one of the game's biggest moments. After Mercer continued to chip away late in the game, Bassett's drive over the right-center field wall fully shifted the momentum into the Bears' favor.
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0)
» Loss: Eric Whitecavage (0-1)
» Save: Nick Spear (1)
Record Update
» Mercer: 6-2
» UNC Asheville: 2-5
Up Next
» Mercer: At Kennesaw State (6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Kennesaw, Ga.)
» UNC Asheville: At Western Carolina (4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
Notables
» Mercer is 3-0 all-time against UNC Asheville.
» JT Thomas extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his sixth multi-hit performance in eight games this season. The senior went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
» Robert Broom made his second relief appearance of the day, striking out a pair and stranding three Bulldog runners in the top of the fifth to help stage Mercer's late-inning rally.
» Brandon Michie went 9-for-13 (.692) in the weekend series, capped by a 1-for-3 effort in Saturday's series finale.
» Bassett's home run was his fourth of the season, tying him with Alex Hanson for the most on the team.
» Nick Spear has struck out seven of the last nine batters he has faced.
» Hanson stole two bases, pushing his team-best total to five for the season.
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.
Trailing 4-1 entering the home half of the seventh, Mercer (6-2) responded with a three-hit frame, highlighted by Bassett's long ball. RJ Yeager led off the inning with a single and was plated shortly after by a RBI-single from Alex Hanson. Bassett was then called upon as a pinch-hitter for Jackson Ware and aptly came through with his fourth home run of the year to give Mercer the 5-4 advantage.
Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0) earned the win with 2.2 innings of strong relief, allowing only one hit while striking out five Bulldogs. Nick Spear earned his first save of the season, tossing 1.1 innings as he struck out four batters and allowed only one baserunner via a walk.
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"This was a great game three tonight and I'm proud of how our team pulled it out," said head coach Craig Gibson. "UNC Asheville's starting pitcher was really good and kept us off balance for five innings, but we were able to stay patient and eventually get some runners on.
"Le Bassett was able to get a ball out of the park for us – what a big moment for him."
On Mercer's pitching efforts:
"You can't say enough about [our pitchers]. [Robert] Broom was outstanding with two strikeouts with the bases loaded in the fifth. We then went to Sawyer [Gipson-Long] and Nick Spear, both of whom were phenomenal."
On the importance of earning an early-season sweep:
"To win in Greenville [S.C. at the Southern Conference Tournament], you've got to win four in a row. Tonight, we proved we're capable of winning three consecutive games, so we have to continue striving toward putting together some consistency.
"I think we're starting to settle in a bit. It was a great weekend; we got the job done today."
Player of the Game
Tip the cap to Le Bassett, who rose to the occasion in one of the game's biggest moments. After Mercer continued to chip away late in the game, Bassett's drive over the right-center field wall fully shifted the momentum into the Bears' favor.
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0)
» Loss: Eric Whitecavage (0-1)
» Save: Nick Spear (1)
Record Update
» Mercer: 6-2
» UNC Asheville: 2-5
Up Next
» Mercer: At Kennesaw State (6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 in Kennesaw, Ga.)
» UNC Asheville: At Western Carolina (4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 in Cullowhee, N.C.)
Notables
» Mercer is 3-0 all-time against UNC Asheville.
» JT Thomas extended his hitting streak to 11 games with his sixth multi-hit performance in eight games this season. The senior went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
» Robert Broom made his second relief appearance of the day, striking out a pair and stranding three Bulldog runners in the top of the fifth to help stage Mercer's late-inning rally.
» Brandon Michie went 9-for-13 (.692) in the weekend series, capped by a 1-for-3 effort in Saturday's series finale.
» Bassett's home run was his fourth of the season, tying him with Alex Hanson for the most on the team.
» Nick Spear has struck out seven of the last nine batters he has faced.
» Hanson stole two bases, pushing his team-best total to five for the season.
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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