Friday, April 21
Lexington, VA
2 p.m.
Mercer University
24-15, 0
5
at
11
Virginia Military Institute
21-17, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Mercer
0
0
2
1
0
0
2
0
0
5
12
0
VMI
0
2
3
2
2
0
0
2
X
11
11
0
Mercer Splits Doubleheader with VMI on High-Scoring Day
4/21/2023 9:17:00 PM | Baseball
LEXINGTON, Va. – The Mercer baseball program (25-15, 7-4) split a doubleheader with VMI (21-18, 6-4) on Friday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium. The Keydets took game one, 11-5, but Mercer won the slugfest in game two, 17-16, to tie the series. The two teams will play the rubber match on Sunday, April 23 at 1 p.m.
GAME 1
The Bears opened the game with two singles but could not plate any runs. Colton Cosper (3-3) took the mound and retired the side, including a strikeout to end the frame. The Keydets scored the first of four consecutive home runs between the two sides in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Mercer responded immediately with a two-run home run by Antonio Brown, scoring Treyson Hughes who reached on a single. A. Brown's fourth home run of the season tied the game, 2-2.
After two walks in the bottom of the third, VMI's Cole Garrett hit a three-run homer to retake the lead, 5-2.
With two outs on the board in the fourth, Carter Sanford stepped up to the plate and hit a solo shot to right field to cut the deficit. This was Sanford's third home run of the season and second in two games.
Across the next two innings, VMI extended the lead to 9-3. Both teams went scoreless in the sixth as Jess Ackerman entered in relief of Cosper and put the batters down in order. Mercer chipped away at the score differential in the seventh, scoring two more on a Hughes single and a ground out by A. Brown for his team-leading third RBI of the game.
VMI notched another home run in the bottom of the eighth as Brett Cook scored two more to round out the scoring. The Bears logged two base hits in the top of the ninth thanks to a double by Bradley Frye and a single by Reid Brown, but no runs were scored, giving VMI an 11-5 win.
GAME 2
Mercer hit the ground running in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Hughes doubled followed by a single by Jackson Cherry to place runners on the corners. Eric Toth then hit a double to score both runners and advanced to third on a throwing error by VMI's second baseman. A sacrifice fly by Trevor Austin scored Toth to round out a stellar three-run inning to start the game.
A. Brown continued the hot hitting in the second with a double to center field. He was brought home by Hughes' second base hit of the game, extending the lead to 4-0.
The momentum swung quickly towards VMI in the bottom of the second as the inning was kept alive by a Mercer fielding error, allowing the Keydets to score six runs on three singles and two doubles, all unearned. Neither team scored in the third before Mercer posted a six-run inning of its own in the top of the fourth.
With A. Brown on first and Hughes on second, Cherry tripled down the right field line to score both runners and tie the game a six apiece. He then ran home on a wild pitch to give Mercer a one-run lead.
Later in the inning, Jozsef Rohrbacher walked and Austin reached on the Keydets' second error of the inning to set up a three-run blast by Ty Dalley. The freshman's 11th home run of the season forced a pitching change for VMI.
Josh Farmer retired the side in the bottom of the fourth to maintain the four-run lead. Hughes recorded his third hit of the game to go 3-for-3 with a double in the top of the fifth, but the Keydets got out of the inning unscathed.
Another high-production inning for VMI resulted in another lead change. A pair of doubles, a home run, and a runner stealing home added five on the board for the Keydets in the bottom of the fifth as VMI took an 11-10 lead. Both teams went three up, three down in the sixth and seventh innings, taking a breather from the scoring frenzy. Jaxon O'Neal (2-0) earned the win after throwing two hitless innings.
In his first at-bat of the game, Sanford hit his second home run of the series and third of the week to tie the game, 11-11, and open a high-scoring frame for the Bears.
After the Keydets switched pitchers following the home run, Hughes was walked which initiated another pitching change for VMI. Cherry was then hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch runner Conner Todaro. A single by Toth advanced both runners to scoring position, and a sacrifice fly by Rohrbacher scored Toth to give Mercer the lead again. Austin plated the next run as Todaro beat the throw to home after Austin singled to right center field.
Dalley brought his RBI total to six for the game with a three-run homer to left center, scoring Toth and Austin. This bumped Dalley up to 12 home runs on the season which leads the team.
The scoring did not stop there as Frye launched his first home run of the season to right field to cap off a seven-run inning.
VMI did not go down easy, scoring five more in the bottom of the eighth to close the gap. A pair of two-run home runs and a runner scoring on an error brought the score to 17-16 in favor of Mercer.
To seal the game, the Bears brought in Sunday starter Ryan Lobus to pitch the ninth inning. VMI logged a single, but it was not enough as the Mercer defense got the final three outs. Lobus was credited with his first save of the season.
NOTES
UP NEXT: Mercer and VMI will play the final game of the series on Sunday, April 23 at 1 p.m.
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.
GAME 1
The Bears opened the game with two singles but could not plate any runs. Colton Cosper (3-3) took the mound and retired the side, including a strikeout to end the frame. The Keydets scored the first of four consecutive home runs between the two sides in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead.
Mercer responded immediately with a two-run home run by Antonio Brown, scoring Treyson Hughes who reached on a single. A. Brown's fourth home run of the season tied the game, 2-2.
ANTONIOOOOO BROWNNNNN 🚀
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
Homerun ties the game!
MU 2, VMI 2#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/eYP5dzCp0E
After two walks in the bottom of the third, VMI's Cole Garrett hit a three-run homer to retake the lead, 5-2.
With two outs on the board in the fourth, Carter Sanford stepped up to the plate and hit a solo shot to right field to cut the deficit. This was Sanford's third home run of the season and second in two games.
Sanford 𝙎𝙢𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙝𝙝@carter_sanford with the deep HR!#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/KxxYGlzpqi
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
Across the next two innings, VMI extended the lead to 9-3. Both teams went scoreless in the sixth as Jess Ackerman entered in relief of Cosper and put the batters down in order. Mercer chipped away at the score differential in the seventh, scoring two more on a Hughes single and a ground out by A. Brown for his team-leading third RBI of the game.
VMI notched another home run in the bottom of the eighth as Brett Cook scored two more to round out the scoring. The Bears logged two base hits in the top of the ninth thanks to a double by Bradley Frye and a single by Reid Brown, but no runs were scored, giving VMI an 11-5 win.
GAME 2
Mercer hit the ground running in game two, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Hughes doubled followed by a single by Jackson Cherry to place runners on the corners. Eric Toth then hit a double to score both runners and advanced to third on a throwing error by VMI's second baseman. A sacrifice fly by Trevor Austin scored Toth to round out a stellar three-run inning to start the game.
☠️𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 ☠️@eric_toth19 slugs one out and brings in 2!
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
MU 2 , VMI 0 pic.twitter.com/XsaMQ4ggpk
A. Brown continued the hot hitting in the second with a double to center field. He was brought home by Hughes' second base hit of the game, extending the lead to 4-0.
The momentum swung quickly towards VMI in the bottom of the second as the inning was kept alive by a Mercer fielding error, allowing the Keydets to score six runs on three singles and two doubles, all unearned. Neither team scored in the third before Mercer posted a six-run inning of its own in the top of the fourth.
With A. Brown on first and Hughes on second, Cherry tripled down the right field line to score both runners and tie the game a six apiece. He then ran home on a wild pitch to give Mercer a one-run lead.
.@JacksonCherry9 making things happen‼️
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
2 RBI TRIPLE.
MU 6, VMI 6#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/v9ZiorEmme
Later in the inning, Jozsef Rohrbacher walked and Austin reached on the Keydets' second error of the inning to set up a three-run blast by Ty Dalley. The freshman's 11th home run of the season forced a pitching change for VMI.
Make that #𝟏𝟏 Homerun on the year for the freshman 😳#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/2bO6XIihg9
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
Josh Farmer retired the side in the bottom of the fourth to maintain the four-run lead. Hughes recorded his third hit of the game to go 3-for-3 with a double in the top of the fifth, but the Keydets got out of the inning unscathed.
Another high-production inning for VMI resulted in another lead change. A pair of doubles, a home run, and a runner stealing home added five on the board for the Keydets in the bottom of the fifth as VMI took an 11-10 lead. Both teams went three up, three down in the sixth and seventh innings, taking a breather from the scoring frenzy. Jaxon O'Neal (2-0) earned the win after throwing two hitless innings.
In his first at-bat of the game, Sanford hit his second home run of the series and third of the week to tie the game, 11-11, and open a high-scoring frame for the Bears.
2 HOMERUN ON THE DAY! @carter_sanford coming in clutch and ties it up.
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
MU 11, VMI 11 pic.twitter.com/qBFZUeUNMh
After the Keydets switched pitchers following the home run, Hughes was walked which initiated another pitching change for VMI. Cherry was then hit by a pitch and replaced by pinch runner Conner Todaro. A single by Toth advanced both runners to scoring position, and a sacrifice fly by Rohrbacher scored Toth to give Mercer the lead again. Austin plated the next run as Todaro beat the throw to home after Austin singled to right center field.
.@ConnerTodaro putting on wheels and sliding in home 💨
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
MU 13, VMI 11 pic.twitter.com/HQsdaKpyAy
Dalley brought his RBI total to six for the game with a three-run homer to left center, scoring Toth and Austin. This bumped Dalley up to 12 home runs on the season which leads the team.
YOU LOVE TO SEE IT. DALLEY DINGER!@TDalley11 HR 🤩
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
MU 16, VMI 11 pic.twitter.com/QsPoFlp89s
The scoring did not stop there as Frye launched his first home run of the season to right field to cap off a seven-run inning.
FRYE FLYS IT OUT ✈️@BradleyFrye01 joins in on the fun 🤪
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 21, 2023
MU 17, VMI 11#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/nGpSpDfkra
VMI did not go down easy, scoring five more in the bottom of the eighth to close the gap. A pair of two-run home runs and a runner scoring on an error brought the score to 17-16 in favor of Mercer.
To seal the game, the Bears brought in Sunday starter Ryan Lobus to pitch the ninth inning. VMI logged a single, but it was not enough as the Mercer defense got the final three outs. Lobus was credited with his first save of the season.
NOTES
- The teams combined for 49 runs across the two games of the doubleheader.
- The teams hit 12 home runs combined in the two games.
- Carter Sanford hit a home run in each game bringing his total to three in three games and four this season.
- Ty Dalley hit two home runs in the second game to take the team-lead with 12 this season.
- Bradley Frye hit his first home run of the season in the second game.
- Antonio Brown hit his fourth home run of the season in the first game.
- Jackson Cherry's triple in the second game was just the fourth this season for Mercer.
- Six RBI in game two is a season high for Dalley.
- Eight players recorded a hit for Mercer in each of the two games.
- Eight Mercer players logged an RBI in game two.
- 10 players scored a run for Mercer in game two.
- The winning team was out-hit in each game.
- Neither team committed an error in the first game, but there were eight errors combined in game two.
UP NEXT: Mercer and VMI will play the final game of the series on Sunday, April 23 at 1 p.m.
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.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nathan Light (3-1)
L: Cosper, Colton (3-3)
Batting:
2B: Frye, Bradley 1
HR: Brown, Antonio 1 ; Sanford, Carter 1
RBI: Hughes, Treyson 1 ; Brown, Antonio 3 ; Sanford, Carter 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hughes, Treyson 1 ; Brown, Antonio 1 ; Frye, Bradley 1 ; Sanford, Carter 2
Batting:
2B: Ty Swaim 1 ; Cole Garrett 1 ; Jimmy Koza 1
HR: Cole Garrett 1 ; Cole Jenkins 1 ; Brett Cook 1
RBI: Ty Swaim 1 ; Justin Starke 1 ; Cole Garrett 3 ; Cole Jenkins 3 ; Brett Cook 3
SH: Jimmy Koza 1
SF: Justin Starke 1 ; Brett Cook 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ty Swaim 1 ; Zac Morris 1 ; Justin Starke 1 ; Trey Morgan 1 ; Cole Garrett 3 ; Cole Jenkins 2 ; Brett Cook 1 ; Jimmy Koza 1
CS: Zac Morris 1
PO: Zac Morris 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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OF
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RHP
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LHP
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