Friday, April 27
Macon, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
29-15, 0
1
vs
4
VMI
23-18, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
VMI
0
0
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
4
9
0
Mercer
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
5
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Josh Winder (4-4)
L: Cox, Austin (6-3)
Batting:
2B: Matt Pita 1 ; Will Malbon 1 ; Jake Huggins 1
RBI: Collin Fleischer 1 ; Jake Huggins 2 ; Callen Nuccio 1
SH: Nathan Eaton 1 ; Jacob Jaye 1
SF: Callen Nuccio 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Matt Pita 1 ; Matt Dunlevy 1 ; Jacob Jaye 2
CS: Matt Pita 1
HBP: Jacob Jaye 1
Batting:
HR: Bassett, Le 1
RBI: Bassett, Le 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bassett, Le 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
3b/2b
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
Photo by: Tim Casey & Allison Curry
Mercer Stifled in Series-Opening Loss to VMI
4/27/2018 9:15:00 PM | Baseball
VMI’s Josh Winder goes the distance Friday in Macon
MACON, Ga. – VMI starting pitcher Josh Winder tossed a complete game and limited Mercer to one run on five hits as the Bears fell, 4-1, in a Southern Conference series opener Friday night at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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The Bears (29-15, 8-8 SoCon) did not get a base runner past first base until the eighth inning as Winder struck out 10 Bears in front of a home crowd of 1,010. A solo home run by Le Bassett led off the home half of the eighth and served as Mercer's lone run.
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Austin Cox and Winder established a pitcher's duel over the first three innings of play; Cox scattered three hits while striking out four Keydets while Winder held the Bears hitless. Trouble struck for Mercer in the fourth, however, when VMI (23-18, 10-6) scored twice on a two-run double down the right-field line after Cox walked the first two batters of the frame.
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RJ Yeager broke up Winder's early no-hit bid in the fourth with a single, but Mercer did not collect another hit until the seventh on a single by Jackson Ware. VMI scored one run in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a four-run advantage before Bassett's long ball cut the lead to three.
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A pair of singles by Alex Hanson and Trey Truitt made things interesting in the ninth before Winder closed it out. Cox (6-3) tossed seven innings for the third time this season despite taking the loss. He struck out six batters but issued five walks and allowed eight hits.
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Postgame Quotes
Coach Gibson's opening statement:
"[Josh] Winder was outstanding for VMI; he didn't give us many opportunities in a tough loss for us," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Defensively, we made a couple mistakes by throwing the ball to the wrong base and not getting the ball back to the pitcher…those mistakes cost us two runs in what was a really closely fought game.
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"Tip your cap to their guy tonight. We have to bring more fight to the plate in order to even the series against a really experienced VMI club."
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Records Update
» Mercer: 29-15 (8-8 SoCon)
» VMI: 23-18 (10-6 SoCon)
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Josh Winder (4-4)
» Loss: Austin Cox (6-3)
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Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts VMI (2 p.m. Saturday, April 28 in Macon, Ga.)
» VMI: At Mercer (2 p.m. Saturday, April 28 in Macon, Ga.)
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Notables
» Mercer is 13-5-1 all-time against VMI.
» Craig Gibson (499-346) remains one win away from career victory No. 500.
» Bassett's home run was his eighth of the season. Only Truitt (10) has more for Mercer.
» Hanson (1-for-4) reached base safely for the 67th time in 69 games dating back to last season. He extended his hit streak to six games, a season-long.
» Kevin Coulter and Nick Spear combined for two scoreless innings of relief. Both struck out one batter apiece.
» Ware reached base for the 10th straight game.
» Cox struck out six Keydets to reach 91 strikeouts on the season. He totaled 91 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2017.
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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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The Bears (29-15, 8-8 SoCon) did not get a base runner past first base until the eighth inning as Winder struck out 10 Bears in front of a home crowd of 1,010. A solo home run by Le Bassett led off the home half of the eighth and served as Mercer's lone run.
Â
Austin Cox and Winder established a pitcher's duel over the first three innings of play; Cox scattered three hits while striking out four Keydets while Winder held the Bears hitless. Trouble struck for Mercer in the fourth, however, when VMI (23-18, 10-6) scored twice on a two-run double down the right-field line after Cox walked the first two batters of the frame.
Â
RJ Yeager broke up Winder's early no-hit bid in the fourth with a single, but Mercer did not collect another hit until the seventh on a single by Jackson Ware. VMI scored one run in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a four-run advantage before Bassett's long ball cut the lead to three.
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A pair of singles by Alex Hanson and Trey Truitt made things interesting in the ninth before Winder closed it out. Cox (6-3) tossed seven innings for the third time this season despite taking the loss. He struck out six batters but issued five walks and allowed eight hits.
Â
Postgame Quotes
Coach Gibson's opening statement:
"[Josh] Winder was outstanding for VMI; he didn't give us many opportunities in a tough loss for us," said head coach Craig Gibson. "Defensively, we made a couple mistakes by throwing the ball to the wrong base and not getting the ball back to the pitcher…those mistakes cost us two runs in what was a really closely fought game.
Â
"Tip your cap to their guy tonight. We have to bring more fight to the plate in order to even the series against a really experienced VMI club."
Â
Records Update
» Mercer: 29-15 (8-8 SoCon)
» VMI: 23-18 (10-6 SoCon)
Â
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Josh Winder (4-4)
» Loss: Austin Cox (6-3)
Â
Up Next
» Mercer: Hosts VMI (2 p.m. Saturday, April 28 in Macon, Ga.)
» VMI: At Mercer (2 p.m. Saturday, April 28 in Macon, Ga.)
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Notables
» Mercer is 13-5-1 all-time against VMI.
» Craig Gibson (499-346) remains one win away from career victory No. 500.
» Bassett's home run was his eighth of the season. Only Truitt (10) has more for Mercer.
» Hanson (1-for-4) reached base safely for the 67th time in 69 games dating back to last season. He extended his hit streak to six games, a season-long.
» Kevin Coulter and Nick Spear combined for two scoreless innings of relief. Both struck out one batter apiece.
» Ware reached base for the 10th straight game.
» Cox struck out six Keydets to reach 91 strikeouts on the season. He totaled 91 strikeouts as a sophomore in 2017.
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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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