Bears Dropped by Samford in Tournament Opener

Friday, May 27

Greenville, S.C.

12:30 p.m.

Mercer University

39-17

Samford

28-27

Samford

Mercer

Photo by: James Thomas

Bears Dropped by Samford in Tournament Opener

5/27/2022 4:24:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Mercer falls short in slugfest

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mercer dropped its opening game of the Southern Conference Championship, 13-10, to Samford Friday afternoon at Fluor Field.

The contest featured seven home runs, including four by the second-seeded Bears (39-17).

Bill Knight and Angelo DiSpigna both hit two home runs in the losing effort.

Knight hammered a solo shot in the first inning and then belted a three-run homer in the seventh. DiSpigna homered in back-to-back trips to the plate, hitting a three-run round tripper in the third and then a two-run shot in the fifth.

DiSpigna's third-inning homer put Mercer up 5-4.

However, two frames later, the third-seeded Bulldogs (28-27) erupted for five runs to reclaim the advantage.

DiSpigna's second home run of the game in the bottom of the panel pulled the Bears within two.

Both teams plated three runs in the sixth. Mercer's three runs came off Knight's second homer.

With Samford in front 12-10, the Bulldogs added another tally in the top of the eighth on Colton Ledbetter's RBI groundout.

The Bears collected 12 hits on the day.

.@CraigGibson_MU and Rick Cameron discuss this afternoons game and looking ahead to tonight's elimination match with The Citadel pic.twitter.com/odkz88dmco — Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) May 27, 2022

DiSpigna was 4 for 5 with two homers, two doubles and five RBIs. Knight added three hits, including two home runs and a double, and four RBIs. Will Mapes and Jozsef Rohrbacher had two hits apiece.

Samford racked up 19 hits, led by Kaden Dreier's 4 for 6 performance that included a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth.

Bulldog starting pitcher Michael Ross received the win on the mound despite allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in five innings of work.

Wes Franklin was handed the loss after giving up three runs in two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen.

The Bears will return to the field Friday night in an elimination game against No. 8 seed The Citadel. The nightcap is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.