Mercer, Savannah State to Clash Wednesday

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will take on Savannah State at 6 p.m. Wednesday at OrthoGeorgia Park in pursuit of its third consecutive win over an in-state opponent.

The Bears (10-3) are set to play their 13th home game in 14 total games so far this season and are coming off a series victory against Holy Cross. Mercer will face Savannah State (3-8) once more this season when it takes a day trip to Savannah, Ga. on April 3.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (10-3) vs. Savannah State (3-8)
Location: Macon, Ga. | OrthoGeorgia Park
Wednesday: March 7 | 6 p.m. | Live Stats
Tickets: www.tickets.mercer.edu
Twitter Updates: @MercerBaseball
Projected Starters: RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0, 6.39 ERA) vs. LHP Trevor McKenna (1-2, 2.70 ERA)

Batting Practice

Only two teams have tossed 23 strikeouts this season (Harvard), with Mercer being the lone program to do it twice.
Mercer is 3-1 in midweek games.
Mercer continues to lead the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (13.5). Austin Cox is second nationally with an average of 18 K/9.
JT Thomas ranks third nationally in hits (24).
Brandon Michie ranks fourth nationally in runs batted in (22).
Trey Truitt ranks seventh nationally in runs scored (18).
Craig Gibson (480-334) is 20 wins away from reaching career victory No. 500.
Mercer is 128-54 at OrthoGeorgia Park since 2012.

Series History
Mercer and Savannah State will play head-to-head for the 40th time Wednesday. The Bears are winners of 15 straight dating back to an April 7, 2010 meeting.

Series: Mercer, 28-11
First Meeting: Jan. 31, 1997, MER 12-4
Last Meeting: March 8, 2017, MER 6-0, Savannah, Ga.
Streak: Mercer, 15

Scouting Savannah State
The Tigers are 3-8 entering Wednesday's nonconference battle in Macon, having just snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over LIU Brooklyn on Sunday in Savannah. Kyle Gerdts (.333) leads Savannah State's offense as one of three Tigers with a batting average above .300.

Mercer will face senior left-hander Trevor McKenna (1-2, 2.70 ERA), who earned the win with six hitless innings and seven strikeouts vs. Delaware State on Feb. 17.

K's for Days
The Bears continue to lead the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (13.5). Mercer's 176 strikeouts in 117.1 innings pitched have been highlighted by a pair of 23-strikeout efforts on Feb. 23 and March 5.

The Orange and Black have struck out at least 10 batters in 12 of 13 game. Wednesday's projected starter, Sawyer Gipson-Long, has tossed 18 strikeouts in 12.1 innings for a 13.3 K/9 innings average.

Defend Your Turf
Mercer's steady dominance at OrthoGeorgia Park since the 2012 campaign has played a key role in eight consecutive seasons with 35 wins or more. The Bears are 128-54 at home since '12, including a 9-3 mark so far in 2018.

Fireworks in March
Mercer set a pair of program records with 33 runs scored on 28 hits in its 33-6 defeat of Holy Cross on Monday. The 33 runs are the third most in Southern Conference history and the second most by a NCAA Division I team this season. Mercer's 28 hits are tied for the eighth most in SoCon history.

All but one of Mercer's 15 batters notched at least one hit while nine Bears recorded at least two hits. Brandon Michie (4-for-4), RJ Yeager (3-for-6), David Posas (3-for-4) and Cory Wright (3-for-4) led the Bears in the hits category.

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 www.MercerBears.com.

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Players Mentioned

Austin Cox

Sawyer Gipson-Long

Brandon Michie

David Posas

JT Thomas

Trey Truitt

Cory Wright

RJ Yeager

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