Saturday, April 1
Macon, Ga.
2 p.m.
Mercer University
18-10, 0
4
vs
9
Western Carolina University
11-15, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Western Carolina
1
0
0
3
0
5
0
0
0
9
5
0
Mercer
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
4
9
0
Bears Fall to Western Carolina
4/1/2023 6:24:00 PM | Baseball
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer baseball program (18-10, 3-2) dropped Saturday's contest against Western Carolina (11-15, 2-3), 9-4, at OrthoGeorgia Park. The rubber match will be on Sunday, April 2 at 1 p.m.
The teams traded home runs in the opening frame as the Catamounts struck first with a solo shot by James Hinson. Eric Toth stepped up to the plate with two outs on the board and launched one to left center on the second pitch of his at-bat. He is now tied with Treyson Hughes for the team-lead with eight home runs.
Ryan Lobus struck out two in the top of the third for consecutive scoreless innings, and the Bears took the lead in the bottom of the third. Hughes reached on a single and then stole second while Jackson Cherry was batting. A single by Cherry advanced Hughes to third, setting him up to score on a single by Jozsef Rohrbacher.
The tide turned in Western Carolina's favor in the fourth inning as four-straight batters walked, scoring the tying run for the Catamounts. A single by Cole Jones scored two more runs for WCU to take the lead, 4-2.
Mercer added another run in the fifth with a solo home run by Cherry. This was the redshirt sophomore's fifth home run of the season and third in conference play.
A five-run sixth for the Catamounts solidified the win for Western Carolina. Another run was walked in, leaving the bases loaded for Pascanel Ferreras to hit a grand slam. Caleb Bohn entered to grab the final out of the inning. He struck out three batters in the seventh to slow the WCU offense. Lobus and Bohn each finished with four strikeouts.
Making his first appearance since February 25, Carter Sanford entered in the bottom of the eighth as a pinch hitter. He notched a single, advanced to second on a Ben Olson walk, and was brought home by a Trevor Austin single. While Carter Geier was at the plate, Olson and Austin advanced to third and second, respectively, to place both runners in scoring position. Geier was unable to keep the inning alive, stranding two. Both teams went scoreless in the ninth, giving Western Carolina the 9-4 win.
SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | Mercer 0, WCU 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Hinson homered to right field.
B1 | Mercer 1, WCU 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Toth homered to left center.
B3 | Mercer 2, WCU 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rohrbacher singled to left center, scoring Hughes.
T4 | Mercer 2, WCU 2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stocum walked, scoring Hinson.
T4 | Mercer 2, WCU 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jones singled to right field, scoring Ketterman and Spyke.
B5 | Mercer 3, WCU 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cherry homered to left field.
T6 | Mercer 3, WCU 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Butterworth walked, scoring Stocum.
T6 | Mercer 3, WCU 9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ferreras homered to left field, scoring Jones, Riesselmann, and Butterworth.
B8 | Mercer 4, WCU 9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Austin singled to center field, scoring Sanford.
UP NEXT: The series between Mercer and Western Carolina will conclude on Sunday, April 2 at 1 p.m.
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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.Â
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The teams traded home runs in the opening frame as the Catamounts struck first with a solo shot by James Hinson. Eric Toth stepped up to the plate with two outs on the board and launched one to left center on the second pitch of his at-bat. He is now tied with Treyson Hughes for the team-lead with eight home runs.
Outta here🚀 @eric_toth19 #GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/8osjxOVEEQ
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 1, 2023
Ryan Lobus struck out two in the top of the third for consecutive scoreless innings, and the Bears took the lead in the bottom of the third. Hughes reached on a single and then stole second while Jackson Cherry was batting. A single by Cherry advanced Hughes to third, setting him up to score on a single by Jozsef Rohrbacher.
#18 is feeling gooood today. 😎@ryan15lobus with 2strikeouts in the T3.#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/1t4JurA3jU
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 1, 2023
The tide turned in Western Carolina's favor in the fourth inning as four-straight batters walked, scoring the tying run for the Catamounts. A single by Cole Jones scored two more runs for WCU to take the lead, 4-2.
Mercer added another run in the fifth with a solo home run by Cherry. This was the redshirt sophomore's fifth home run of the season and third in conference play.
A five-run sixth for the Catamounts solidified the win for Western Carolina. Another run was walked in, leaving the bases loaded for Pascanel Ferreras to hit a grand slam. Caleb Bohn entered to grab the final out of the inning. He struck out three batters in the seventh to slow the WCU offense. Lobus and Bohn each finished with four strikeouts.
Making his first appearance since February 25, Carter Sanford entered in the bottom of the eighth as a pinch hitter. He notched a single, advanced to second on a Ben Olson walk, and was brought home by a Trevor Austin single. While Carter Geier was at the plate, Olson and Austin advanced to third and second, respectively, to place both runners in scoring position. Geier was unable to keep the inning alive, stranding two. Both teams went scoreless in the ninth, giving Western Carolina the 9-4 win.
SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | Mercer 0, WCU 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Hinson homered to right field.
B1 | Mercer 1, WCU 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Toth homered to left center.
B3 | Mercer 2, WCU 1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Rohrbacher singled to left center, scoring Hughes.
T4 | Mercer 2, WCU 2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Stocum walked, scoring Hinson.
T4 | Mercer 2, WCU 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Jones singled to right field, scoring Ketterman and Spyke.
B5 | Mercer 3, WCU 4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Cherry homered to left field.
T6 | Mercer 3, WCU 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Butterworth walked, scoring Stocum.
T6 | Mercer 3, WCU 9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ferreras homered to left field, scoring Jones, Riesselmann, and Butterworth.
B8 | Mercer 4, WCU 9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Austin singled to center field, scoring Sanford.
UP NEXT: The series between Mercer and Western Carolina will conclude on Sunday, April 2 at 1 p.m.
Â
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.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Matt Schepel (2-1)
L: Lobus, Ryan (3-2)
Batting:
HR: Pascanel Ferreras 1 ; James Hinson 1
RBI: Brandon Butterworth 1 ; Pascanel Ferreras 4 ; James Hinson 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Cole Jones 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Brandon Butterworth 1 ; Pascanel Ferreras 1 ; James Hinson 2 ; Zach Ketterman 1 ; Jack Spyke 1 ; Nate Stocum 1 ; Cole Jones 1 ; Kyle Riesselmann 1
HBP: Pascanel Ferreras 1 ; James Hinson 1
Batting:
HR: Cherry, Jackson 1 ; Toth, Eric 1
RBI: Cherry, Jackson 1 ; Toth, Eric 1 ; Rohrbacher, Jozsef 1 ; Austin, Trevor 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hughes, Treyson 1 ; Cherry, Jackson 1 ; Toth, Eric 1 ; Sanford, Carter 1
SB: Hughes, Treyson 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
SS/2B
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C/IF
/ BaseballC
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