Friday, May 3
Macon, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
25-20, 0
7
vs
2
Samford
33-14, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Samford
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
4
3
Mercer
0
0
4
1
0
0
2
0
X
7
10
1
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Gipson-Long, Sawyer (6-3)
L: Samuel Strickland (6-2)
Batting:
HR: Branden Fryman 1
RBI: Branden Fryman 1 ; Max Pinto 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Branden Fryman 1 ; Taylor Garris 1
SB: Taylor Garris 2 ; Max Pinto 1
HBP: Taylor Garris 1
Batting:
HR: DiSpigna, Angelo 2
RBI: Dockus, Kyle 1 ; DiSpigna, Angelo 6
SH: Dockus, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Kel 1 ; Price, Collin 2 ; DiSpigna, Angelo 2 ; Crotty, Alex 1 ; Austin, Trevor 1
CS: Yeager, RJ 1
HBP: Yeager, RJ 1 ; Price, Collin 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
6
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballIF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
C/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
Photo by: Mitch Robinson
Mercer Rolls Past Samford for 10th Straight Win
5/3/2019 9:56:00 PM | Baseball
Bears defeat Samford, 7-2, in pivotal series opener
MACON, Ga. – Sawyer Gipson-Long tossed eight innings and Angelo DiSpigna hit a pair of home runs as Mercer defeated Southern Conference-leading Samford, 7-2, for its 10th straight win on Friday at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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Gipson-Long allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out nine batters while DiSpigna connected for a third-inning grand slam and added a two-run shot in the seventh. The Bears (25-20, 12-7 SoCon) snapped a six-game losing streak to Samford (33-14, 13-3) in the process.
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Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third after Samford plated an unearned run following a fielding error, Mercer took to lead on DiSpigna's grand slam. Trevor Austin (bunt single), Kel Johnson (intentional walk) and Collin Price (hit by pitch) reached earlier in the inning to load the bases for the freshman, who deposited the four-run shot over the right-field wall.
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The home run provided all the run support Gipson-Long (5-3) needed en route to picking up his third win in conference play. The junior right-hander allowed one run – a solo home run – over his final five innings pitched, retiring 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.
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Kyle Dockus extended Mercer's lead to 5-1 with a RBI single down the right-field line in the fourth. DiSpigna provided the last blow of the night with a two-run long ball to straightaway center field in the seventh. Gipson-Long turned it over to Nick Spear for a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close it out.
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Records Update
» Mercer: 25-20 (12-7 SoCon)
» Samford: 33-14 (13-3 SoCon)
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Sawyer Gipson-Long (5-3)
» Loss: Samuel Strickland (6-2)
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Notables
» Mercer's 10-game win streak is the longest active streak in the SoCon.
» DiSpigna's two home runs give him 11 for the season. He went 3-for-4 with a season-high six RBI.
» Sawyer Gipson-Long has 20 strikeouts over his last two starts. He has a team-best 68 for the season.
» Gipson-Long held the SoCon's leading hitter, Brooks Carlson, to an 0-for-4 effort with two strikeouts.
» Jordan Ammons and Kel Johnson both went 2-for-3.
» Collin Price extended his reached base streak to 20 games.
» Mercer's win snapped a six-game losing streak to Samford that dated back to the 2017 season.
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Up Next
Mercer and Samford will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Saturday at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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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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Gipson-Long allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out nine batters while DiSpigna connected for a third-inning grand slam and added a two-run shot in the seventh. The Bears (25-20, 12-7 SoCon) snapped a six-game losing streak to Samford (33-14, 13-3) in the process.
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Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third after Samford plated an unearned run following a fielding error, Mercer took to lead on DiSpigna's grand slam. Trevor Austin (bunt single), Kel Johnson (intentional walk) and Collin Price (hit by pitch) reached earlier in the inning to load the bases for the freshman, who deposited the four-run shot over the right-field wall.
Â
The home run provided all the run support Gipson-Long (5-3) needed en route to picking up his third win in conference play. The junior right-hander allowed one run – a solo home run – over his final five innings pitched, retiring 11 of the last 12 batters he faced.
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Kyle Dockus extended Mercer's lead to 5-1 with a RBI single down the right-field line in the fourth. DiSpigna provided the last blow of the night with a two-run long ball to straightaway center field in the seventh. Gipson-Long turned it over to Nick Spear for a 1-2-3 ninth inning to close it out.
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Records Update
» Mercer: 25-20 (12-7 SoCon)
» Samford: 33-14 (13-3 SoCon)
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Pitchers of Record
» Win: Sawyer Gipson-Long (5-3)
» Loss: Samuel Strickland (6-2)
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Notables
» Mercer's 10-game win streak is the longest active streak in the SoCon.
» DiSpigna's two home runs give him 11 for the season. He went 3-for-4 with a season-high six RBI.
» Sawyer Gipson-Long has 20 strikeouts over his last two starts. He has a team-best 68 for the season.
» Gipson-Long held the SoCon's leading hitter, Brooks Carlson, to an 0-for-4 effort with two strikeouts.
» Jordan Ammons and Kel Johnson both went 2-for-3.
» Collin Price extended his reached base streak to 20 games.
» Mercer's win snapped a six-game losing streak to Samford that dated back to the 2017 season.
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Up Next
Mercer and Samford will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Saturday at OrthoGeorgia Park.
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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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