Mercer Returns Home to Host Furman

Friday, April 6

Macon, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

Furman

Tickets

Photo by: Gerrit Van Genderen

4/5/2018 3:44:00 PM | Baseball

Tickets Watch (Game 1)Live Stats (Game 1)

Bears coming off six-game road trek

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will look to continue its strong start in Southern Conference action as it hosts Furman in a three-game league series at OrthoGeorgia Park this weekend.

Winners in 13 of their last 14 games, the Bears (25-6, 5-1 SoCon) return to friendly confines following a six-game stretch on the road. Mercer sits atop the conference standings after a series victory over Wofford and sweep of ETSU while Furman (14-15, 0-3) is the lone winless team in the league.

All three games will be broadcast live via ESPN3.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (25-6, 5-1 SoCon) vs. Furman (14-15, 0-3 SoCon)
Location: Macon, Ga. | OrthoGeorgia Park
Tickets: www.tickets.mercer.edu
Friday: April 6 | 6 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN3
Saturday: April 7 | 2 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN3
Sunday: April 8 | 1 p.m. | Live Stats | ESPN3
Projected Starters:

Friday: LHP Austin Cox (6-0, 4.54 ERA) vs. RHP Nik Verbeke (3-2, 5.40 ERA)
Saturday: RHP Chase Burks (4-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. LHP Grant Schuermann (2-5, 5.52 ERA)
Sunday: RHP Kevin Coulter (0-2, 7.92 ERA) vs. LHP Matt Lazzaro (2-4, 5.72 ERA)

Batting Practice

Mercer is one of four teams nationally with 25 or more wins (Florida, Duke, Ole Miss).
Mercer has won 29 of its last 34 weekend series.
Craig Gibson (495-337) is five wins away from career victory No. 500.
Mercer is one of six teams nationally with 12 players to have hit at least one home run.
Mercer ranks in the top 10 nationally in 11 statistical categories.
- Strikeouts per nine innings (first, 11.5)
- Strikeouts (first, 354)
- Hits (first, 359)
- Hit by pitch (second, 61)
- Runs (second, 282)
- Scoring (second, 9.1)
- On base percentage (fourth, .428)
- Batting average (fourth, .321)
- Home runs (seventh, 43)
- Home runs per game (eighth, 1.39)
- W/L Pct. (eighth, .806)
- Slugging percentage (ninth, .498)

A Look at the Series
The Bears swept Furman on the road last season in Greenville but suffered a defeat to the Paladins in SoCon Tournament play at Fluor Field in May. Mercer has bested Furman in all three conference series since joining the SoCon in 2015.

Series: Mercer, 21-7
First Meeting: 1897 | Mercer 8-7 in Macon, Ga.
Last Meeting: May 25, 2017 | Furman 6-1 in Greenville, S.C.
Streak: Furman, 3

A Look at Furman
Furman (14-15, 0-3 SoCon) opened SoCon play last weekend in Birmingham and suffered three losses to host Samford. The Paladins responded by defeating Georgia State, 13-12, in a rollercoaster win Wednesday after trailing, 10-0, to open the contest. Two left-handers will start on the mound Saturday and Sunday for the Paladins, including senior Grant Schuermann, who allowed just one run over eight innings in Mercer's SoCon Tournament loss last 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.