Mercer Sweeps Radford; Improves to 8-0

Sunday, February 23

Macon, Ga.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

8-0

Radford

3-4

Radford

Mercer

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

2/23/2020 6:52:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Bears off to best start since 2014

By: Travis Rae

MACON, Ga. – Pinch hitter Jordan Ammons came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with the bases and collected a two-run RBI single putting the Mercer baseball team ahead 7-6 against Radford. Mercer recorded the final three outs of the game and earned a sweep of Radford.

The win improved the Bears to 8-0, the best start since 2014. Freshman Fred Wilson made his collegiate debut and picked up the win for the Bears.

After the Highlanders were retired in order by Taylor Lobus, Mercer came up and took the lead. With two outs, RJ Yeager was hit by a pitch. With a 1-2 count, Brandon Michie hit his second home run of the spring to right field that put the Bears ahead, 2-0.

The lead did not last long as Radford got to Lobus in the top of the second inning. JD Mundy led off the inning with a home run. The Highlanders were not done as they added three more runs against the Bears and took a 4-2 lead.

Mercer looked as if they would break the game open in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Trevor Austin picked up a single and Kyle Dockus followed with a walk. Colby Thomas loaded the bases after a walk. After a pop out, the Bears had the bases loaded and two outs. Yeager would get hit by his second pitch of the game, scoring one and putting the Bears down one, 4-3. Mercer would end up leaving the bases loaded.

After allowing the four runs, Lobus was locked in and dealing as he did not allow another hit until the sixth inning to the Highlanders and kept them off the board. In the sixth inning, Radford scored one run, taking a 5-3 lead.

Again, Mercer cut the lead down to one, 5-4, in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Yeager picked up his second RBI, this time by drawing a walk. For the second time in the game, Mercer would leave the bases loaded.

Radford again extended its lead to two, 6-4, in the top of the seventh inning. Straton Poadaras picked up a single to left that scored one.

The Bears were running out of time and with six outs to go, but Mercer continued to battle. With one out, Angelo DiSpigna walked and Yeager followed with a double to right center putting runners on second and third. After a strikeout, the Bears were down to four outs in the game.

Mercer loaded the bases in the frame after Bill Knight was hit by a pitch. The very next batter, Le Bassett, was hit by a pitch, which scored one for the Bears. Coming off the bench, Jordan Ammons came up to the plate. The Minneapolis, Minn., native came up clutch with a 0-2 count as he picked up two RBI on a single to left field. The two runs put the Bears ahead, 7-6.

Needing three outs, Fred Wilson, who came into the game in the eighth inning kept the Highlander bats quiet. He sat Radford down in order and Mercer won its 8th straight contest.

Coach Gibson's Take
"This was a great Sunday game, and I can't say enough about Taylor Lobus getting us off to a good start. He struggled a bit early, but he settled in and gave us a quality outing. The bullpen was solid for us today. I am happy for Fred (Wilson), who came in and pitched well at the end of the game in his collegiate debut. I can't say enough about our hitters. Their pitchers did a great job keeping us off balance. We finally had some good at-bats and Jordan Ammons came up with a big at-bat. We can't wait to get back on the field at Georgia Southern on Tuesday."

Player of the Game
Redshirt Junior Jordan Ammons came up clutch for the Bears in the 7-6 win against the Bears. Coming off the bench and the Bears down one, 6-5, Ammons hit a go ahead two-run single that put the Bears ahead for good.

Records Update
» Mercer: 8-0
» Radford: 3-4

Pitchers of Record
» Win: Fred Wilson (1-0)
» Loss: Bruce Hudson (0-1)

Notables
» Mercer improves to 6-0 all-time against Radford.
» Making his collegiate debut, Fred Wilson went 1.1 innings to earn his first career win.
» The Bears bullpen pitched four innings of relief on Sunday and limited the Highlanders to five hits and one run.
» For the second time this season, Jordan Ammons collected they key hit in the game for the Bears. He plated two on a single to put the Bears ahead in the bottom of the eighth inning.
» Brandon Michie got the Bears going in the bottom of the first inning when he hit his second home run of the season.
» Six Bear hitters were hit by a pitch by the Radford pitching staff.
» The Bears improved to 8-0 on the season and are the only undefeated team in the Southern Conference.

Up Next
» Mercer: at Georgia Southern (6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25 at J.I. Clements Stadium)
» Radford: at Virginia Tech (4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park)

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.