Bears to Face Georgia State on Wednesday

Wednesday, April 18

Atlanta, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

Georgia State

Photo by: Gerrit Van Genderen

4/17/2018 5:07:00 PM | Baseball

Live Stats Watch

Mercer set for first of two clashes with Panthers

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will take on Georgia State for the first time this season Wednesday in a nonconference clash at the GSU Baseball Complex in Atlanta.

The Bears (26-12) enter the contest with a 7-1 record against in-state opponents; Georgia State (17-18) is the only NCAA Division I baseball team in the state Mercer has yet to play this season. First pitch for the midweek game is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be aired live on via Georgia State's PantherVision.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (26-12) at Georgia State (17-18)
Location: Atlanta, Ga. | GSU Baseball Complex
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 18 | 6 p.m.
Watch: PantherVision
Live Stats: GeorgiaStateSports.com
Projected Starters: RHP Zach Graveno (1-1, 5.40) vs. RHP Tanner Thomson (1-1, 10.43)

Batting Practice

Mercer is 7-1 against in-state opponents.
Mercer is 9-2 in midweek contests.
Craig Gibson (496-343) is four wins away from career victory No. 500.
Mercer leads the nation in strikeouts (415) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.1).
The Bears are nine wins away from reaching 35 victories for the ninth consecutive season.
Alex Hanson had his 35-game reached base streak snapped Sunday, but has still reached safely in 61 of 63 contests dating back to last season.
Robert Broom is tied for the most wins (7) in the Southern Conference.
Mercer is one of three teams with 13 players to have hit at least one home run this season (Tennessee Tech, 15; Elon, 13).
Trey Truitt is the only player in the nation with 55-plus hits and 45-plus runs scored.
Mercer's road trip to Georgia State is its fourth of eight straight games away from OrthoGeorgia Park.

A Look at the Series
Mercer leads the all-time series by 18 games but has lost three of the last four clashes with the Panthers. The Bears walked away victorious, 11-4, in the most recent meeting last season in Atlanta. Mercer and Georgia State will play once more this season on May 15 in Macon.

Series: Mercer, 67-49
Last Meeting: April 11, 2017 | Mercer 11-4 in Atlanta, Ga.
Streak: Mercer, 1

A Look at Georgia State
The Panthers have lost three straight games – a weekend sweep at the hands of Texas State – but came away with a midweek victory over Georgia Tech on April 11, one day after the Yellow Jackets defeated Mercer, 16-8 in Macon. Georgia State is 1-3 against in-state opponents this year, having lost once to Georgia Tech, Georgia and Kennesaw State.

Mercer will face Tanner Thomson, who has made just two starts on the season over his 12 appearances. The right-hander has allowed 17 runs in 14.2 innings pitched. Georgia State owns a team ERA of 5.61 while opposing batters have hit .280 off of the staff.

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.