Bears Drop Series Opener to VMI, 4-3

Friday, April 16

Lexington, Va.

4 p.m.

Mercer University

20-12, 0

VMI

7-20, 0

Mercer

VMI

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

4/16/2021 7:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Angelo DiSpigna hit a solo home run in the ninth.

By: Kraig Doremus

LEXINGTON, Va. – The Mercer Bears dropped the Southern Conference series opener to the VMI Keydets, 4-3, on Friday afternoon despite a solo shot from Angelo DiSpigna in the top of the ninth.

Mercer got a runner in scoring position in the first frame when Garett Delano doubled, but he was left stranded to end the frame. Delano also started on the hill for the Orange & Black and pitched around a one out single in the bottom of the first inning to keep VMI scoreless.

The Bears were retired in order in their half of the second, and VMI plated its first run of the game thanks to JT Inskeep's single which scored Callen Nuccio. Mercer quickly answered the Keydets, however, as DiSpigna reached base to start the third and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. With two outs, RJ Yeager stepped into the batters box and promptly singled home DiSpigna to tie the game. Yeager advanced to third when Delano reached on a throwing error, but was thrown out at home to end the frame.

Colby Thomas drew a two-out walk in the top of the fourth, but failed to advance any further. The Keydets' Zac Morris doubled to start the fourth and moved to third on a groundout before scoring on a wild pitch. Morris gave VMI a 2-1 lead, which it held through five innings after both teams went down in order in the inning.

Collin Price laced a two-out single into left field, but the Bears failed to bring him home. The Keydets extended their lead to a 3-1 when Justin Starke began the bottom of the sixth to a solo home run, but Mercer answered with a run of its own in the seventh.

David Burke singled with one out in the top of the seventh frame, and DiSpigna was hit by a pitch, giving Mercer a pair of runners on. Trevor Austin saw only five pitches during his at-bat before drawing a walk to load the bases. Pinch hitter Jordan Ammons flew out to right field on a 2-2 count, but the ball was hit deep enough to score Burke and pull the Orange & Black within a run, 3-2.

Mercer left its seventh runner of the game on the basepaths to end its portion eighth, and Morris' RBI base knock in the Keydets' half of the frame extended their lead to 4-2 after eight complete innings.

Down to their final three outs, the Bears began their comeback thanks to DiSpigna's solo shot to center field with one out. Jackson Cherry was called upon to pinch hit in a 4-3 contest and drew a walk, but VMI's Adam Jewell retired the next two batters to end the game and earn the save.

Coach Gibson's Take
"We left too many guys on base tonight and just couldn't string together the hits we needed. Credit VMI. They came out ready to play and had timely hits with a quality start from [Nathan] Light. The SoCon is a tough league; any team can win on any given night, but we'll prepare for a doubleheader tomorrow as we look to take the series."

Records Update
» Mercer: 20-13
» VMI: 7-20

Pitchers of Record
» Win: Nathan Light (1-7)
» Loss: Garett Delano (3-1)

Notables
» DiSpigna hit his fifth home run of the year and the team's 42^nd.
» DiSpigna is tied for the third most homers on the team.
» Yeager's RBI, his 27^th of the 2021 campaign, puts him third on the squad behind Brandon Michie (33) and Bill Knight (32)
» Three different Bears – Yeager, Ammons and DiSpigna – batted in runs in the loss.
» Delano recorded his eighth multi-hit game.
» The Bears had a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the loss.

Up Next
» Mercer: at VMI (1 p.m. Saturday, April 17 at Gray-Minor Stadium)
» VMI: vs. Mercer (1 p.m. Saturday, April 17 at Gray-Minor Stadium)

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