Friday, February 26
Macon, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
vs
Southern Illinois
Photo by: Mitch Robinson
Baseball Hosts Southern Illinois in Non-Conference Action
2/25/2021 3:48:00 PM | Baseball
Mercer faces Southern Illinois for the first time since 1976
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University baseball team returns to OrthoGeorgia Park on Friday evening to start a three-game set with Southern Illinois. This will be the schools' first meeting since the 1976 season.
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GAMEDAY LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (3-1) vs. Southern Illinois (4-0)
Location: Macon, Ga. | OrthoGeorgia Park
Friday: Feb. 20 | 6 p.m. | Live Stats
Saturday: Feb. 20| 2 p.m. | Live Stats
Sunday: Feb. 21| 1 p.m. | Live Stats
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Projected Rotations:
Series History
Southern Illinois comes to Macon for the first time ever with a 4-0 record on the season. The 4-0 mark is the best start since 1977. The Bears and Salukis have met twice prior to the 2021 season for neutral site matchups. SIU is led by second year head coach Lance Rhodes.
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The Salukis played one road game this season when they played Jacksonville State on opening day. SIU came away with an 8-7 victory.
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As a team, SIU is hitting .331 on the season. They have tallied 48 hits, which 18 of them are extra base hits. The Salukis have four players, who have started all four games, hitting over .300 this season. Nick Neville leads the team with a .471 averaging. He has eight hits and five RBI. Philip Archer, is hitting .375 on the season and leads the team with six RBI. Five different players have hit a home run for SIU this season.
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On the mound, the Salukis have a team ERA of 4.50 in 36 innings pitched. Ben Chapman, who pitched last on Sunday, leads the team with a 0.00 ERA. He went six innings and did not allow a run. Opening Day starter, Mike Hansell, give up one run, unearned, in his first start of the season. The staff has walked 21 batters, while striking out 31.
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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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GAMEDAY LINEUP
Teams: Mercer (3-1) vs. Southern Illinois (4-0)
Location: Macon, Ga. | OrthoGeorgia Park
Friday: Feb. 20 | 6 p.m. | Live Stats
Saturday: Feb. 20| 2 p.m. | Live Stats
Sunday: Feb. 21| 1 p.m. | Live Stats
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Projected Rotations:
- Friday: RHP Jackson Kelley vs. RHP Mike Hansell
- Saturday: RHP Taylor Lobus vs. LHP Brad Harrison
- Sunday: LHP Fred Wilson vs. RHP Ben Chapman
- Mercer suffered its first loss of the season on Wednesday with a 7-3 setback to No. 15 Georgia Tech. Mercer looks to get back in the win column on Friday night.
- This weekend series with Southern Illinois is the first time these two programs have met since 1976. This will be the first time they have met at someone's home field.
- Redshirt senior Taylor Lobus was named Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday. He pitched seven scoreless innings and tallied a career-high 11 strikeouts against Jackson State. His previous high for strikeouts was four, which he accomplished five times.
- The Orange & Black pitching staff ran its scoreless inning streak up to 28 innings before allowing its first runs of the season.
- Mercer was picked to finish second in the 2021 Preseason SoCon Coach's and Media Polls. The Bears were picked behind Samford in both polls.
- The Bears had five hits at Georgia Tech on Wednesday, with three of the hits being doubles. Mercer has hit 15 doubles on the season, which ranks third in of the NCAA.
- Yeager has started every game at shortstop since he arrived on campus as a freshman. He has currently started 144 consecutive games heading into the 2021 season.
- Mercer is one of just four NCAA Division I programs to win at least 35 games in each of the past 10 full seasons, joining LSU, Florida State and Vanderbilt.
- Since 2010, the Bears are the winningest Division I baseball program in the state of Georgia. The Bears have won 395 games, 11 more wins than Georgia Tech who is second on the list.
Series History
- Series:Â Southern Illinois leads the series, 2-0
- First Meeting: 1976 – Southern Illinois 9, Mercer 3
- Last Meeting: 1976 – Southern Illinois 5, Mercer 4
- Streak: L2
Southern Illinois comes to Macon for the first time ever with a 4-0 record on the season. The 4-0 mark is the best start since 1977. The Bears and Salukis have met twice prior to the 2021 season for neutral site matchups. SIU is led by second year head coach Lance Rhodes.
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The Salukis played one road game this season when they played Jacksonville State on opening day. SIU came away with an 8-7 victory.
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As a team, SIU is hitting .331 on the season. They have tallied 48 hits, which 18 of them are extra base hits. The Salukis have four players, who have started all four games, hitting over .300 this season. Nick Neville leads the team with a .471 averaging. He has eight hits and five RBI. Philip Archer, is hitting .375 on the season and leads the team with six RBI. Five different players have hit a home run for SIU this season.
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On the mound, the Salukis have a team ERA of 4.50 in 36 innings pitched. Ben Chapman, who pitched last on Sunday, leads the team with a 0.00 ERA. He went six innings and did not allow a run. Opening Day starter, Mike Hansell, give up one run, unearned, in his first start of the season. The staff has walked 21 batters, while striking out 31.
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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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Players Mentioned
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Mercer v. Gardner-Webb Women's Soccer Highlight Reel: 9/7/2025
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