Mercer University
26-15, 0
Virginia Military Institute
21-19, 0
Season-High 22 Runs Lead Mercer to Series Win Over VMI
4/23/2023 7:04:00 PM | Baseball
HOW IT HAPPENED
The teams did not start the scoring until the second inning, but the home run fest continued. Ty Dalley hit his 13th home run of the season which leads the SoCon. He scored two after Trevor Austin reached on a bunt previously.
Dalley does it again 🔂@TDalley11 leads the @SoConSports with 13 Homeruns 😎
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 23, 2023
MU 2, VMI 0 pic.twitter.com/Rqxir0brdo
VMI followed this up with a home run of its own by Cole Jenkins. The Keydets scored another run to tie it off a double.
The flood gates opened in the third inning as the Bears wrapped around the order scoring six. It started with a single by Austin to plate Jackson Cherry. Starting pitcher Holden Wilkerson then walked Dalley to load the bases. A second walk of Bradley Frye brought Jozsef Rohrbacher across home plate and forced a pitching change by the Keydets. To round out the inning, Carter Sanford and Treyson Hughes each hit two RBI singles to score four more runs for the Bears.
The Keydets added two unearned runs in the bottom of the third to cut Mercer's lead to 8-4, but it was the bottom of the fourth where VMI did some damage. Ryan Lobus struck out two batters, but a hit by pitch and a stolen base placed Jimmy Koza in scoring position when Ty Swaim doubled. Lobus walked the next batter, and a single by Justin Starke scored another run. Jaxon O'Neal (3-0) entered in relief and gave up a three RBI triple to Jenkins. O'Neal struck out the next batter to stop the Keydets' scoring at five runs in the inning.
.@JaxonOneal gets em' swinging to close out the 4th inning#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/wJPEtm4fep
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 23, 2023
In the top of the fifth, VMI changed pitchers twice after three walks and single, but the third pitcher on the bump, Andrew Jones, allowed another six-run inning for the Bears. Hughes hit a two-run single to score Frye and Sanford. Mercer then hit back-to-back home runs as Cherry scored three followed by a solo shot by Eric Toth. This was Toth's 12th home run of the season which is tied for second in the SoCon.
𝘾𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙔 𝘽𝙊𝙈𝘽 🍒@JacksonCherry9 with the 3 run HR!
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 23, 2023
MU 13, VMI 8 pic.twitter.com/hmSVjXEB1S
BACK 2 BACK @eric_toth19 adds to the HOMERUN DERBY 💣
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 23, 2023
MU 14, VMI 9#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/s5pwSjbqco
Another pitching change was not the answer for VMI as the Bears batted through the order and scored five more in the top of the sixth. Six players reached base, beginning with Dalley who was hit by a pitch. Frye then singled to put runners on first and second. Sanford hit his third-straight single of the game to score Dalley.
Pitcher Trey Morgan then walked Antonio Brown, loading the bases. Hughes hit his third two RBI single of the game, scoring Frye and Sanford. Six RBI for Hughes is a new career best. Cherry continued the scoring with a single to plate A. Brown. Toth extended the margin to 10 runs with a ground out, bringing Hughes home to give Mercer a 19-9 lead.
𝟲 𝗥𝗕𝗜'𝘀 𝗙𝗢𝗥 @HughesTreyson
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 23, 2023
😈😈😈#GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/2SK43O2c7B
VMI cut into the deficit with three runs in the bottom of the sixth on a Starke home run and Zac Morris single. Jess Ackerman entered on the bump and earned the last two outs of the inning while stranding two. A wild pitch and a fielding error in the bottom of the seventh scored two more for the Keydets and signaled the introduction of Micah Takac on the mound for Mercer. Takac left two on base and struck out the final batter to maintain Mercer's 19-14 lead.
The Bears added two more insurance runs in the top of the eighth off a single by Toth and a walk of Dalley with the bases loaded. VMI also added another run in the bottom of the frame, but the Mercer defense kept the damage to a minimum.
Sanford opened the final inning with his fourth home run in four games. This was the catcher's fifth on the season.
4 FOR 4‼️
— Mercer Baseball (@MercerBaseball) April 23, 2023
That's 4 Homeruns in 4 Games for @carter_sanford #GoodToGreat || #WinnersWin pic.twitter.com/Ft9qvBcoCe
Holton McGaha struck out the final two batters in the bottom of the ninth to close out the win for Mercer.
NOTES
- 22 runs scored is a season high for Mercer.
- 17 hits tied a season high for Mercer.
- The teams combined for 86 runs in the series.
- Mercer posted five innings scoring five runs or more in the series.
- Ty Dalley hit his 13th home run of the season which leads the Southern Conference. He hit three home runs in the series against VMI.
- Eric Toth hit his 12th home run of the season which is tied for second in the Southern Conference.
- Carter Sanford hit his fifth home run of the season and fourth in four games.
- Jackson Cherry hit his seventh home run of the season.
- Six RBI for Treyson Hughes is a career high. Hughes and Ty Dalley are the only players to record six RBI in a single game this season, and both of these were accomplished against VMI.
- Four hits by Carter Sanford (4-for-6) are a team best this season.
- The Bears were walked 13 times which is a season high.
- Bradley Frye was walked four times which is a team high this season.
- Jaxon O'Neal earned two wins against VMI this weekend.
UP NEXT: Mercer will play Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Tuesday, April 25 at 6 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Neal, Jaxon (3-0)
L: Hunter Sipe (1-3)
Batting:
HR: Cherry, Jackson 1 ; Toth, Eric 1 ; Dalley, Ty 1 ; Sanford, Carter 1
RBI: Hughes, Treyson 6 ; Cherry, Jackson 4 ; Toth, Eric 3 ; Austin, Trevor 1 ; Dalley, Ty 3 ; Frye, Bradley 1 ; Sanford, Carter 4
SH: Todaro, Conner 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hughes, Treyson 2 ; Cherry, Jackson 2 ; Todaro, Conner 1 ; Toth, Eric 1 ; Rohrbacher, Jozsef 1 ; Austin, Trevor 2 ; Dalley, Ty 3 ; Frye, Bradley 3 ; Sanford, Carter 4 ; Brown, Antonio 3
CS: Frye, Bradley 1
HBP: Dalley, Ty 1 ; Brown, Antonio 1
Batting:
2B: Ty Swaim 2 ; Jimmy Koza 1
3B: Cole Jenkins 1
HR: Justin Starke 1 ; Cole Jenkins 1
RBI: Ty Swaim 2 ; Trey Morgan 1 ; Justin Starke 3 ; Cole Jenkins 4 ; Zac Morris 1 ; Jimmy Koza 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ty Swaim 4 ; Trey Morgan 2 ; Justin Starke 2 ; Cole Garrett 2 ; Cole Jenkins 1 ; Brett Cook 1 ; Owen Prince 1 ; Jimmy Koza 1 ; Grayson Fitzwater 1
SB: Ty Swaim 2 ; Trey Morgan 1 ; Brett Cook 2 ; Jimmy Koza 2
HBP: Trey Morgan 1 ; Justin Starke 1 ; Cole Garrett 1 ; Jimmy Koza 1 ; Grayson Fitzwater 1
