Friday, March 16
Macon, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
14-5
14
vs
9
Eastern Kentucky
7-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Eastern Kentucky
0
0
4
2
0
2
1
0
0
9
11
2
Mercer
0
0
5
0
5
1
0
3
X
14
13
3
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cox, Austin (4-0)
L: PIEKOS, Jack (0-2)
S: Spear, Nick (3)
Batting:
2B: NIXON, Cornell 1 ; HOWIE, Nick 1 ; HARRIS IV, Daniel 1
HR: ROMANIK, Tyler 1
RBI: ROMANIK, Tyler 3 ; HARRIS IV, Daniel 2 ; JOHNSON, Will 1
SH: KERR, Ryland 1
Base Running:
RUNS: NIXON, Cornell 2 ; BOTSOE, Chris 1 ; HOLDERBACH, Alex 2 ; ROMANIK, Tyler 2 ; HARRIS IV, Daniel 1 ; JOHNSON, Will 1
SB: NIXON, Cornell 2 ; BOTSOE, Chris 2 ; JOHNSON, Will 1
HBP: MCFARLAND, Daniel 1
Batting:
2B: Truitt, Trey 2 ; Ware, Jackson 1 ; Yeager, RJ 1
HR: Truitt, Trey 1 ; Bassett, Le 1
RBI: Hanson, Alex 2 ; Truitt, Trey 4 ; Ware, Jackson 1 ; Bassett, Le 3 ; Yeager, RJ 1 ; Lingo, Drew 2
SH: Truitt, Trey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Posas, David 1 ; Thomas, JT 2 ; Truitt, Trey 3 ; Ware, Jackson 2 ; Bassett, Le 2 ; Yeager, RJ 1 ; Lingo, Drew 1 ; Dockus, Kyle 2
SB: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Ware, Jackson 1 ; Yeager, RJ 1
HBP: Dockus, Kyle 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
Mercer Out-Slugs Colonels, 14-9, in Series Opener
3/16/2018 10:51:00 PM | Baseball
Bears get offensive, take down Eastern Kentucky at home
MACON, Ga. – Mercer used six extra-base hits to best Eastern Kentucky, 14-9, in an offensive-minded series opener Friday night at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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Despite staff ace Austin Cox not having his best stuff, the Bears (14-5) won their 14th game of the season behind 13 total hits and a pair of five-run frames in the third and fifth innings. Cox (4-0) still earned the win after allowing six runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out five Colonels (7-13).
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Trey Truitt exploded with three extra-base hits, including a bases-clearing double in the third and a solo home run in the sixth, to lead the offensive attack.
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After surrendering four runs in the top of the third, Mercer responded with a five-run home half and Truitt (three-run double), Le Bassett (RBI single) and RJ Yeager (RBI double) came through with key hits. Eastern Kentucky added two the following half inning to reclaim its lead, but a pinch-hit two-run single by Drew Lingo in the fifth provided the final lead change of the game, as Mercer led 8-6.
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Nick Spear was electric out of the bullpen en route to his third save; the junior right-hander struck out seven batters over 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing only two hits.
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Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"I don't think tonight was your normal Friday night between a pair of staff aces," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Some days are different; some days are tough. I told our guys that we're not going to apologize…we've just got to be better in some areas.
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"I thought a lot of individual performances were strong tonight. Nick Spear was outstanding at the end in the bullpen. Offensively, there were multiple big at bats by our team. Alex Hanson had a big two-out hit. Drew Lingo answered a call for us with a pinch-hit RBI delivery. You can't say enough about [Trey] Truitt, Jackson [Ware], [Le] Bassett and RJ [Yeager] either…all came through with quality performances."
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Player of the Game
Once Nick Spear entered the game with one out in the top of the seventh, Eastern Kentucky's bats disappeared. The reliever was on point Friday, allowing just two hits while striking out seven Colonels over the final 2.2 frames. Eastern Kentucky had nine runs on nine hits before Spear took the mound.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Cox (4-0)
» Loss: Jack Piekos (0-2)
» Save: Nick Spear (3)
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Record Update
» Mercer: 14-5
» Eastern Kentucky: 7-12
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Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts Eastern Kentucky (4 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
» Eastern Kentucky: At Mercer (4 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
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Notables
» Truitt (3-for-4) extended his hit streak to a career-long 11 games. The senior scored three times and added four RBI. He is batting .401 for the season.
» Four Bears combined for 14 strikeouts on the mound. Mercer has struck out at least 10 batters in 16 of 19 games this season.
» Drew Lingo is 3-for-8 with three RBI in pinch-hitting opportunities.
» Mercer is 4-1 on Fridays this season.
» Mercer is 9-0 when scoring 10 or more runs this season.
» Mercer improved to 3-3 all-time against Eastern Kentucky.
» Six of Mercer's positional starters in Friday's game are batting over .300.
» RJ Yeager extended his hit streak to eight games, going 2-for-4. It was his sixth straight multi-hit performance.
» Le Bassett connected for his team-leading sixth home run. It was his first long ball since March 5.
» Mercer stole three bases Friday (Hanson, Ware, Yeager).
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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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Despite staff ace Austin Cox not having his best stuff, the Bears (14-5) won their 14th game of the season behind 13 total hits and a pair of five-run frames in the third and fifth innings. Cox (4-0) still earned the win after allowing six runs on six hits over five innings. He struck out five Colonels (7-13).
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Trey Truitt exploded with three extra-base hits, including a bases-clearing double in the third and a solo home run in the sixth, to lead the offensive attack.
Â
After surrendering four runs in the top of the third, Mercer responded with a five-run home half and Truitt (three-run double), Le Bassett (RBI single) and RJ Yeager (RBI double) came through with key hits. Eastern Kentucky added two the following half inning to reclaim its lead, but a pinch-hit two-run single by Drew Lingo in the fifth provided the final lead change of the game, as Mercer led 8-6.
Â
Nick Spear was electric out of the bullpen en route to his third save; the junior right-hander struck out seven batters over 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing only two hits.
Â
Coach Gibson's Take
Opening statement:
"I don't think tonight was your normal Friday night between a pair of staff aces," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Some days are different; some days are tough. I told our guys that we're not going to apologize…we've just got to be better in some areas.
Â
"I thought a lot of individual performances were strong tonight. Nick Spear was outstanding at the end in the bullpen. Offensively, there were multiple big at bats by our team. Alex Hanson had a big two-out hit. Drew Lingo answered a call for us with a pinch-hit RBI delivery. You can't say enough about [Trey] Truitt, Jackson [Ware], [Le] Bassett and RJ [Yeager] either…all came through with quality performances."
Â
Player of the Game
Once Nick Spear entered the game with one out in the top of the seventh, Eastern Kentucky's bats disappeared. The reliever was on point Friday, allowing just two hits while striking out seven Colonels over the final 2.2 frames. Eastern Kentucky had nine runs on nine hits before Spear took the mound.
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Cox (4-0)
» Loss: Jack Piekos (0-2)
» Save: Nick Spear (3)
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Record Update
» Mercer: 14-5
» Eastern Kentucky: 7-12
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Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts Eastern Kentucky (4 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
» Eastern Kentucky: At Mercer (4 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at OrthoGeorgia Park)
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Notables
» Truitt (3-for-4) extended his hit streak to a career-long 11 games. The senior scored three times and added four RBI. He is batting .401 for the season.
» Four Bears combined for 14 strikeouts on the mound. Mercer has struck out at least 10 batters in 16 of 19 games this season.
» Drew Lingo is 3-for-8 with three RBI in pinch-hitting opportunities.
» Mercer is 4-1 on Fridays this season.
» Mercer is 9-0 when scoring 10 or more runs this season.
» Mercer improved to 3-3 all-time against Eastern Kentucky.
» Six of Mercer's positional starters in Friday's game are batting over .300.
» RJ Yeager extended his hit streak to eight games, going 2-for-4. It was his sixth straight multi-hit performance.
» Le Bassett connected for his team-leading sixth home run. It was his first long ball since March 5.
» Mercer stole three bases Friday (Hanson, Ware, Yeager).
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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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