Wednesday, May 23
Greenville, S.C.
9 a.m.
Mercer University
36-20
19
vs
0
VMI
26-26
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Mercer
0
2
1
3
0
6
7
19
22
0
VMI
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cox, Austin (7-3)
L: Josh Winder (5-6)
Batting:
2B: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Truitt, Trey 1 ; Cornell, Conrad 1
HR: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Michie, Brandon 1
RBI: Hanson, Alex 5 ; Michie, Brandon 2 ; Truitt, Trey 1 ; Ware, Jackson 3 ; Bassett, Le 3 ; Cornell, Conrad 3
SH: Bassett, Le 1 ; Crotty, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hanson, Alex 2 ; Yeager, RJ 1 ; Michie, Brandon 2 ; Wright, Cory 1 ; Truitt, Trey 4 ; Ware, Jackson 3 ; Dockus, Kyle 1 ; Thomas, JT 2 ; Crotty, Alex 2 ; Cornell, Conrad 1
SB: Hanson, Alex 1 ; Truitt, Trey 1
CS: Cornell, Conrad 1
HBP: Thomas, JT 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
6
R
2
H
5
RBI
5
AB
5
R
3
H
5
RBI
3
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
4
H
3
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballPhoto by: Southern Conference
Mercer Rolls Past VMI into #SoConBB Second Round
5/23/2018 1:36:00 PM | Baseball
Bears bash 22 hits in 19-run win over VMI
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Austin Cox struck out 10 batters over six shutout innings and was backed by a 22-hit outburst as fifth-seeded Mercer blanked No. 4 VMI, 19-0, in seven innings in the first round of the Southern Conference Championship, presented by Holston Gases, on Wednesday at Fluor Field.
The Bears (36-20) improved to 4-0 all-time in the opening round of the SoCon Tournament and now await the winner of top-seeded UNCG and No. 9 Western Carolina in the second round Thursday. VMI fell to 26-26 and will face potential elimination Thursday.
In a battle of two of the SoCon's top pitchers, Cox bested VMI's Josh Winder with six dominant innings on the mound. Cox allowed just five baserunners – only two of which were hits – while striking out 10 batters for the third time this season.
The Bears got to Winder early and often, starting in the second inning with a pair of RBI singles by Conrad Cornell and Alex Hanson. Cornell chopped an infield single to third base to score Jackson Ware, who led off the frame with a single to center field. JT Thomas joined Ware as he scored from second base in the following at bat off of Hanson's single.
Le Bassett, the SoCon's home run leader (15), laid down a safety squeeze bunt in the third to score Trey Truitt. Mercer ended Winder's day on the mound in the fourth after Brandon Michie deposited a two-run, 420-foot home run off the scoreboard in right-center field.
Showing no signs of slowing down, Mercer scored 13 runs over the sixth and seventh innings. Five consecutive hits opened the sixth inning, which was highlighted by a two-run double to right field by Cornell. The final blow of the game came via a three-run home run by Hanson in the seventh.
Stat of the Game
Mercer came up two hits shy of the SoCon Tournament single-game record for hits (24), which was set in 1988 by Western Carolina. The Bears batted .524 (22-for-42) overall and was equally as impressive with runners in scoring position (14-for-27).
Mercer batted a SoCon Tournament single-game record .568 (21-for-37) in Wednesday's win over the Keydets. Thirteen of the 21 hits came with runners in scoring position.
Player of the Game
While Mercer's offense was busy cranking out 22 hits, it was Austin Cox who had the most dominant performance Wednesday morning. Cox struck out two batters in four different innings. It was easily the junior left-hander's best performance of the season as he allowed a season-low two hits.
Postgame Quotes
Gibson's opening statement:
"I thought it was a great game for us and it all starts with pitching," said head coach Craig Gibson. "[Austin Cox's] performance today beats anyone out there, in my opinion. He was just that good. Cox really set the tone for us and then a handful of seniors led the way at the plate offensively."
Gibson on Mercer's strong start:
"There were really so many guys who made an impact early and often for us offensively…I think when you strive for a championship, it comes through those seniors who have the experience. I feel like we still hadn't played our best 55 games into this season and today is seemed like we put a lot of things together."
Austin Cox on his performance:
"We have so many good pieces defensively and I trust those guys behind me. I knew if I attacked the [strike] zone and trusted those guys, things would work out. I could tell I had my fastball command today and that things could be special. There was a different energy in the dugout."
Trey Truitt on Mercer's 19-run effort:
"It was awesome; we created a great tone from the get-go with Alex Hanson getting on base to start the game. We felt much more comfortable against [VMI's Josh Winder] today. We knew we'd get the chance to face him again and we just stayed within ourselves. We went to work today."
Records Update
» Mercer: 36-20
» VMI: 26-26
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Cox (7-3)
» Loss: Josh Winder (5-6)
Up Next
» Mercer: vs. #9 Western Carolina (4 p.m. Thursday, May 24 at Fluor Field)
» VMI: vs. #1 UNCG (9 a.m. Thursday, May 24 at Fluor Field)
Notables
» Mercer tied its program record for most runs in a SoCon Tournament game with 19. The Bears defeated VMI, 19-7, in the first round of the 2015 SoCon Tournament in Charleston, S.C.
» Mercer improved to 3-0 against VMI in the SoCon Tournament. The Bear won three of four games against VMI this season.
» The five seniors in Mercer's lineup batted a combined 16-for-22 with 12 runs scored and 12 RBI.
» Two of the five seniors – Ware and Hanson – were 10-for-11 at the plate with a pair of career-high, five-hit performances.
» Ware extended his career-long reached base streak to 22 games.
» Hanson added a team-high and career-best five RBI.
» Hanson reached base safely for the 77th time in the last 81 games played.
» Cox earned his first win since March 29 at ETSU.
» Cox moved into second place for most strikeouts in a single season at Mercer (120).
» Cornell (career-high three RBI) has tallied three of his eight hits this season in the last two games.
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.
The Bears (36-20) improved to 4-0 all-time in the opening round of the SoCon Tournament and now await the winner of top-seeded UNCG and No. 9 Western Carolina in the second round Thursday. VMI fell to 26-26 and will face potential elimination Thursday.
In a battle of two of the SoCon's top pitchers, Cox bested VMI's Josh Winder with six dominant innings on the mound. Cox allowed just five baserunners – only two of which were hits – while striking out 10 batters for the third time this season.
The Bears got to Winder early and often, starting in the second inning with a pair of RBI singles by Conrad Cornell and Alex Hanson. Cornell chopped an infield single to third base to score Jackson Ware, who led off the frame with a single to center field. JT Thomas joined Ware as he scored from second base in the following at bat off of Hanson's single.
Le Bassett, the SoCon's home run leader (15), laid down a safety squeeze bunt in the third to score Trey Truitt. Mercer ended Winder's day on the mound in the fourth after Brandon Michie deposited a two-run, 420-foot home run off the scoreboard in right-center field.
Showing no signs of slowing down, Mercer scored 13 runs over the sixth and seventh innings. Five consecutive hits opened the sixth inning, which was highlighted by a two-run double to right field by Cornell. The final blow of the game came via a three-run home run by Hanson in the seventh.
Stat of the Game
Mercer came up two hits shy of the SoCon Tournament single-game record for hits (24), which was set in 1988 by Western Carolina. The Bears batted .524 (22-for-42) overall and was equally as impressive with runners in scoring position (14-for-27).
Mercer batted a SoCon Tournament single-game record .568 (21-for-37) in Wednesday's win over the Keydets. Thirteen of the 21 hits came with runners in scoring position.
Player of the Game
While Mercer's offense was busy cranking out 22 hits, it was Austin Cox who had the most dominant performance Wednesday morning. Cox struck out two batters in four different innings. It was easily the junior left-hander's best performance of the season as he allowed a season-low two hits.
Postgame Quotes
Gibson's opening statement:
"I thought it was a great game for us and it all starts with pitching," said head coach Craig Gibson. "[Austin Cox's] performance today beats anyone out there, in my opinion. He was just that good. Cox really set the tone for us and then a handful of seniors led the way at the plate offensively."
Gibson on Mercer's strong start:
"There were really so many guys who made an impact early and often for us offensively…I think when you strive for a championship, it comes through those seniors who have the experience. I feel like we still hadn't played our best 55 games into this season and today is seemed like we put a lot of things together."
Austin Cox on his performance:
"We have so many good pieces defensively and I trust those guys behind me. I knew if I attacked the [strike] zone and trusted those guys, things would work out. I could tell I had my fastball command today and that things could be special. There was a different energy in the dugout."
Trey Truitt on Mercer's 19-run effort:
"It was awesome; we created a great tone from the get-go with Alex Hanson getting on base to start the game. We felt much more comfortable against [VMI's Josh Winder] today. We knew we'd get the chance to face him again and we just stayed within ourselves. We went to work today."
Records Update
» Mercer: 36-20
» VMI: 26-26
Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Cox (7-3)
» Loss: Josh Winder (5-6)
Up Next
» Mercer: vs. #9 Western Carolina (4 p.m. Thursday, May 24 at Fluor Field)
» VMI: vs. #1 UNCG (9 a.m. Thursday, May 24 at Fluor Field)
Notables
» Mercer tied its program record for most runs in a SoCon Tournament game with 19. The Bears defeated VMI, 19-7, in the first round of the 2015 SoCon Tournament in Charleston, S.C.
» Mercer improved to 3-0 against VMI in the SoCon Tournament. The Bear won three of four games against VMI this season.
» The five seniors in Mercer's lineup batted a combined 16-for-22 with 12 runs scored and 12 RBI.
» Two of the five seniors – Ware and Hanson – were 10-for-11 at the plate with a pair of career-high, five-hit performances.
» Ware extended his career-long reached base streak to 22 games.
» Hanson added a team-high and career-best five RBI.
» Hanson reached base safely for the 77th time in the last 81 games played.
» Cox earned his first win since March 29 at ETSU.
» Cox moved into second place for most strikeouts in a single season at Mercer (120).
» Cornell (career-high three RBI) has tallied three of his eight hits this season in the last two games.
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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