Baseball Falls to SIU in Series Finale

Sunday, February 28

Macon, Ga.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

3-4

Southern Illinois

7-0

Southern Illinois

Mercer

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

2/28/2021 7:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The Orange & Black return to action on Tuesday at Florida State

By: Travis Rae

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer baseball team dropped the series finale to Southern Illinois, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at OrthoGeorgia Park.

Mercer collected six hits in the ball game with RJ Yeager and Trevor Austin leading the way with two hits apiece. Colby Thomas and CJ Keckler led the team with an RBI each. The Bears bullpen was sharp as they only allowed four hits and one run in 6.2 innings.

After a scoreless first inning, the Salukis struck first in the top of the second. After Tristian Peters pop out for the first out of the frame, Vinni Massaglia hit a home run to left-center for the first run of the game. Bears' starter Fred Wilson settled down and would only give up one in the frame.

Southern Illinois put up a three-spot in the top of the third inning. With a runner on third base, J.T. Weber hit a two-run bomb to left field growing the lead to 3-0. Nick Neville kept the bats hot for SIU with a single and then stole second base. Peters followed with an RBI single extending SIU's lead to 4-0.

Following the single, the Bears brought in Garett Delano, who recorded a punch-out and a fly out to end the threat from the Salukis. Once on the mound, Delano was dealing for the Bears. He only allowed three hits to SIU in his 5.2 innings of work.

Mercer got one run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brandon Michie walked and went to second on a passed ball. With Ryan Archibald up, Michie advanced to third on Archibald's infield single. CJ Keckler followed with a sac fly. The Bears continued to battle at the plate and Austin collected a hit putting two on with one out. Those two runners would be stranded on base as the next two Bears were retired.

Delano continued to deal as he sat the Salukis down in order in the sixth. In the seventh inning after a Weber single, he got Neville to line into a double-play. Following the double-play, he walked Peters but then picked him off at first.

With one out in the eighth inning, Colby Thomas hit his second home run of the season, cutting the Bears deficit in half, 4-2. However, Mercer could not get anything else going at the plate that inning and trailed by two heading to the ninth inning.

SIU's lead grew in the top of the ninth inning. With one out, Ian Walters hit a solo home run over the left-field fence growing the lead to 5-2 in favor of the Salukis.

Mercer needed to get the rally going in the bottom of the ninth. Bill Knight led off the inning for the Bears and struck out swinging but reached first on a wild pitch. He proceeded to go to second on another wild pitch. However, he would be stranded on base as the next three hitters were retired.

Coach Gibson's Take
"Southern Illinois is a good club, and I hope they play everyone as tough as they played us. I can't say enough about Garett Delano, as he was outstanding on the mound. He is a good piece and a good weapon for us. We need to learn how to maximize what he does for us. Tip your cap to Southern Illinois as they are a good club. We get to face another quality club on Tuesday night."

Records Update
» Mercer: 3-4
» Southern Illinois: 7-0

Pitchers of Record
» Win: Ben Chapman (2-0)
» Loss: Fred Wilson (1-1)
» Save: Trey McDaniel (3)

Notables
» Colby Thomas hit his second home run of the season in the eighth inning against the Salukis. With the home run, Mercer has hit a long ball in three straight games.
» RJ Yeager and Trevor Austin led the Bears with two hits apiece.
» Garett Delano came out of the pen and pitched a season-high 5.2 innings. He tallied seven punchouts in his time on the mound.
» The Bears bullpen was solid on Sunday, as they limited the Salukis to four hits in 6.2 innings.
» Colby Thomas and CJ Keckler picked up the lone RBIs for the Bears in the loss.
» Mercer left six runners stranded on base.

Up Next
» Mercer: at Florida State (6 p.m., Tuesday, March 2 at Dick Howser Stadium)
» Southern Illinois: vs. Western Illinois (3 p.m. Tuesday, March 2 at Itchy Jones Stadium)

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.