Sunday, February 17
Macon, Ga.
12 p.m.
Mercer University
2-1
2
vs
7
Evansville
1-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Evansville
0
0
0
0
2
1
0
2
2
7
8
0
Mercer
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
8
2
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Weigand, Alex (1-0)
L: Smith, Scott (0-1)
S: McMahill, Jake (1)
Batting:
2B: Borgstron, Danny 1
HR: Crews, Kenton 1 ; Fritz, A.J. 1 ; Reeder, Nate 1
RBI: Crews, Kenton 2 ; Fritz, A.J. 1 ; Reeder, Nate 2 ; Borgstron, Danny 1 ; Shepherd, Craig 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Crews, Kenton 1 ; Fritz, A.J. 1 ; Beilsmith, Troy 1 ; Reeder, Nate 2 ; Borgstron, Danny 1 ; Shepherd, Craig 1
CS: Fritz, A.J. 1
Batting:
2B: Miller, Zach 1
HR: Yeager, RJ 1
RBI: Yeager, RJ 1 ; Miller, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Yeager, RJ 1 ; Austin, Trevor 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
2b/3b
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
Photo by: Daniel Gibbons
Mercer Drops Series Finale to Evansville
2/17/2019 4:56:00 PM | Baseball
Angelo DiSpigna goes 3-for-4 in 7-2 loss at home
MACON, Ga. – Mercer left eight runners on base and surrendered a trio of late home runs in a 7-2 series-ending loss to Evansville on Sunday at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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The Bears (2-1) suffered their first loss of the early season despite taking the series against the Purple Aces (1-2). Scott Smith took the loss on the mound with 1.2 innings of relief.
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RJ Yeager hit the first pitch he saw past the right field wall for a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. Both teams were held scoreless over the next three frames before Evansville took the lead with a two-run fifth inning. Mercer starting pitcher Zach Graveno held the Purple Aces hitless through the first four innings, but walked the leadoff batter in the fifth and gave up his first hit – a RBI double – in the following at bat. Evansville then claimed its first lead of the weekend series on an RBI groundout two batters later.
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Graveno went 4.2 innings and struck out seven batters before he was relieved by Smith. The Bears tied it at 2-2 with a three-hit fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Zach Miller that plated Trevor Austin (single). Evansville reclaimed its lead quickly, however, with a solo home run by A.J. Fritz off Smith in the top of the sixth.
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A pair of two-run home runs by Evansville's Nate Reeder and Kenton Crews in the eighth and ninth innings made it a 7-2 deficit for the Bears. Mercer mustered just one hit over the final four innings and was unable to stage a comeback.
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Player of the Game
Despite leaving the game with his team trailing 2-1, Graveno was impressive in his start on the mound. The junior went 4.2 innings in his first career weekend start and struck out seven Purple Aces while issuing just one walk. Graveno retired the first 11 batters he faced and did not allow a hit until the fifth.
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Records Update
» Mercer: 2-1
» Evansville: 1-2
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Allinger (1-0)
» Save: Jake McMahill (1)
» Loss: Scott Smith (0-1)
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Notables
» Zach Graveno's 4.2 innings pitched and seven strikeouts were both career highs.
» After going hitless in his first two games, Angelo DiSpigna had a team-best three hits on Sunday.
» Mercer led for the series' first 22 innings before Evansville plated two runs in the fifth on Sunday.
» Yeager's home run was his second in three games.
» Leyton Pinckney earned his first collegiate start at catcher.
» Pinckney and Angelo DiSpigna tallied their first collegiate hits on Sunday.
» Kyle Dockus started in left field. It was his 32nd start as a Bear, but first in the outfield.
» Holton McGaha made his collegiate debut on the mound with 1.1 innings pitched.
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Up Next
» Mercer: At Florida A&M (5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, Tallahassee, Fla.)
» Evansville: At Vanderbilt (TBD, Wednesday, Feb. 20 in Nashville, Tenn.)
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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 (2-1) suffered their first loss of the early season despite taking the series against the Purple Aces (1-2). Scott Smith took the loss on the mound with 1.2 innings of relief.
Â
RJ Yeager hit the first pitch he saw past the right field wall for a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. Both teams were held scoreless over the next three frames before Evansville took the lead with a two-run fifth inning. Mercer starting pitcher Zach Graveno held the Purple Aces hitless through the first four innings, but walked the leadoff batter in the fifth and gave up his first hit – a RBI double – in the following at bat. Evansville then claimed its first lead of the weekend series on an RBI groundout two batters later.
Â
Graveno went 4.2 innings and struck out seven batters before he was relieved by Smith. The Bears tied it at 2-2 with a three-hit fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Zach Miller that plated Trevor Austin (single). Evansville reclaimed its lead quickly, however, with a solo home run by A.J. Fritz off Smith in the top of the sixth.
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A pair of two-run home runs by Evansville's Nate Reeder and Kenton Crews in the eighth and ninth innings made it a 7-2 deficit for the Bears. Mercer mustered just one hit over the final four innings and was unable to stage a comeback.
Â
Player of the Game
Despite leaving the game with his team trailing 2-1, Graveno was impressive in his start on the mound. The junior went 4.2 innings in his first career weekend start and struck out seven Purple Aces while issuing just one walk. Graveno retired the first 11 batters he faced and did not allow a hit until the fifth.
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Records Update
» Mercer: 2-1
» Evansville: 1-2
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Austin Allinger (1-0)
» Save: Jake McMahill (1)
» Loss: Scott Smith (0-1)
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Notables
» Zach Graveno's 4.2 innings pitched and seven strikeouts were both career highs.
» After going hitless in his first two games, Angelo DiSpigna had a team-best three hits on Sunday.
» Mercer led for the series' first 22 innings before Evansville plated two runs in the fifth on Sunday.
» Yeager's home run was his second in three games.
» Leyton Pinckney earned his first collegiate start at catcher.
» Pinckney and Angelo DiSpigna tallied their first collegiate hits on Sunday.
» Kyle Dockus started in left field. It was his 32nd start as a Bear, but first in the outfield.
» Holton McGaha made his collegiate debut on the mound with 1.1 innings pitched.
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Up Next
» Mercer: At Florida A&M (5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 20, Tallahassee, Fla.)
» Evansville: At Vanderbilt (TBD, Wednesday, Feb. 20 in Nashville, Tenn.)
Â
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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