Baseball Powers Past Georgia Southern

Tuesday, May 18

Macon, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

34-18

Georgia Southern

29-21

Georgia Southern

Mercer

Photo by: Mitch Robinson

5/18/2021 10:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Mercer hit four homers in the win over the Eagles

By: Travis Rae

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer baseball team powered past the Eagles of Georgia Southern on Tuesday night, hitting four home in the 5-1 victory to bring its season total to 87.

The Bears had four different players hit a home run in the contest, which led to five runs in the win. Eight different Bears picked up a hit in the game. Collin Price led the team with two RBI.

Mercer's starter, Jackson Kelley, gave up two hits in the first two innings, but he settled in and did not allow the Eagles to score. He had two on with two outs in the first inning before getting Austin Thompson to strikeout to end the inning. In the second, he gave up a leadoff single before getting the next three hitters out. In his final inning of work, Kelley sat the Eagles down in order.

M1 | Ga. Southern 0, Mercer 0@Jacksonjk03 gets the whiff to end the top of the first!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/TmSIeYqqDu
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 18, 2021

Mercer took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Le Bassett led off the inning and had a 2-0 count. The very next pitch he sent over the right field fence for a homer, putting Mercer ahead 1-0.

BASSETT BOMB! @Le_Bassett11 makes it 17 straight games, Mercer has hit a homer!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/ReYQsSIy4k
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 18, 2021

The Bears' bullpen came in during the top of the fourth inning and held the Eagles hitless over the next four innings. Tommy Green came in and struck out the side in the fourth, Josh Farmer pitched a scoreless fifth and Taylor Lobus had two clean frames.

Can't touch this! Tommy Green with the K!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/CpunCXAYeL
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 18, 2021

Garett Delano put the Bears ahead 2-0 after he hit his ninth home run of the season.

.@Garett__Delano with the BOMB down to left field!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/sE7ZbNnZQk
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 18, 2021

The lead grew to 4-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Angelo DiSpigna drew a walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Price came up and worked the count full before he delivered a home run to left center field, putting the Bears ahead by four.

Kiss that one goodbye! @Collin_Pricee with the two-run home run!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/3jL9hhn0ZD
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 18, 2021

Georgia State got one run back in the top of the eighth inning when Parker Biederer hit a homer to right field. This was the first hit since the second inning for the Eagles. Steven Curry followed with a triple, but David Moore came in and struck out Mason McWhorter to end the inning.

Leading off the eighth inning, Mercer got the one run back as Bill Knight hit a solo home run to center field, making it 5-1 in favor of the Bears.

.@Bill_Knight4 joins the homer party!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/3QPoJQsdaw
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 19, 2021

Georgia Southern's Christian Avant led off the top of the ninth with a single, and Noah Ledford walked putting two on. Luke Sutko came in and struck out the next three batters, ending the game and giving the Bears their 34^th win of the season.

.@lsutko25 with the K!#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/JEYkOWkozo
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 19, 2021

Hear from Coach Gibson

🗣Coach @CraigGibson_MU talks about the great WIN over Georgia Southern on a Tuesday night#WinnersWin | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/uw9EYRhHu7
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 19, 2021

Records Update
» Mercer: 34-18
» Georgia Southern: 29-21

Pitchers of Record
» Win: Jackson Kelley (3-3)
» Loss: Griffin Davis (0-1)
» Save: Luke Sutko (12)

Notables
» Mercer hit four home runs in the contest against Georgia Southern. The four home runs moved its season total to 87.
» Mercer pitching was dominant in the win over Georgia Southern. The Bears limited the Eagles to five hits and had 11 strikeouts.
» Mercer has now hit a home run in 17 straight games.
» Sutko picked up his league-leading 12th save on the season in the victory. He is now tied for third in the NCAA.
» Eight different Bears had a hit in the contest for Mercer.
» The win gives the Bears 34 victories in 2021. Mercer is one win away from winning 35 games for the 11^th straight season.

Up Next
» Mercer: at Wofford (4 p.m., Thursday, May 20 at Russell C. King Field)
» Georgia Southern: vs. UT Arlington (6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 20 at J.I. Clements 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.