Bears Host Western Carolina for SoCon Series

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer baseball program (17-9, 2-1) will play its second Southern Conference series of the year beginning on Friday, March 31 at 6 p.m. as Western Carolina (10-14, 1-2) travels to OrthoGeorgia Park. The teams will play again on Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. to round out the series. Head coach Craig Gibson's next win will separate him as the all-time wins leader in Mercer baseball history with 649.

Fans can stick around after the game on Saturday for an on-field extravaganza where kids and parents can go on the field to run the bases, play catch, and get autographs.

FRIDAY, March 31 | 6 p.m.
MER: LHP Colton Cosper (0-2, 7.63 ERA)
WCU: RHP Nick Torres (3-1, 1.71 ERA)
ESPN3 | LIVE STATS

SATURDAY, April 1 | 2 p.m.
MER: TBA
WCU: TBA
LIVE STATS

SUNDAY, April 2 | 1 p.m.
MER: TBA
WCU: TBA
LIVE STATS

The all-time series between Mercer and Western Carolina is tight as the Bears hold the edge, 14-13. The teams first met in 2007 as part of a home-and-home pair while Mercer was in the ASUN Conference, and did not start playing regularly until Mercer joined the SoCon. The programs traded weekend sweeps the past two seasons.

SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA
The Catamounts have not been very consistent so far this season, posting six-game losing streaks followed by three-game winning streaks. In the conference opener last weekend, WCU won on Friday but dropped the next two games to lose the series to UNCG. Saturday's game took 12 innings to decide a winner until a walk-off hit by pitch gave the Spartans the win.

Friday starter Nick Torres has a 1.71 ERA after allowing just four earned runs in 21.0 innings pitched. His opponents have recorded a batting average of .197 against the right-hander.

Western Carolina has scored the fewest runs among SoCon teams this year at 145 which is 42 behind Mercer. The Catamounts have the worst on-base percentage in the conference at .373. Preseason Player of the Year Pascanel Ferreras leads the team in batting average (.326), on-base percentage (.427), and RBI (21).

RECENT ACTION
Mercer played to an emphatic 15-6 victory over Kennesaw State on Wednesday to earn the program-tying win for Gibson. Eric Toth and Treyson Hughes each hit three-run blasts while Jackson Cherry went 3-for-4 with a solo shot to right field.

The Bears opened Southern Conference play on the road against The Citadel last weekend, winning the series 2-1. Mercer allowed just 12 runs across the three games.

Colton Cosper will make his third start on the mound this weekend after throwing midweek against Georgia Southern last Wednesday and Sunday against The Citadel. He pitched a season-high 4.1 innings against the Bulldogs.

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.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jackson Cherry

Colton Cosper

Treyson Hughes

Eric Toth

Footer

Mercer University Athletics