Baseball Set To Host Opening Weekend Series With Milwaukee

Friday, February 14

Macon, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

Milwaukee

Tickets

Baseball Set To Host Opening Weekend Series With Milwaukee

2/12/2025 11:42:00 AM | Baseball

Tickets

By: Donovan Schultz, donovan.schultz@live.mercer.edu

MACON – The Mercer baseball team opens the 2025 campaign on Friday, welcoming the Milwaukee Panthers to OrthoGeorgia Park for a three-game set. This marks the 12th consecutive year that the Bears have opened the season at home. When hosting opening weekend at OrthoGeorgia Park under head coach Craig Gibson, the Bears have posted a 37-11 record, including nine straight series victories.

Friday's ballpark festivities include a Valentine's shirt and sticker giveaway and free pizza for students, while fans on Saturday will receive free entry with purchase of a basketball ticket.

Milwaukee at Mercer | Friday, February 14 - Sunday, February 16 | 6 PM, 2 PM, 1 PM ET

Site | Location

OrthoGeorgia Park at Claude Smith Field | Macon, Ga.

Links

Friday, 6 p.m. ET:  Live Stats | TV:  Watch (ESPN+)

Expected Pitching Match-Up:  MER LHP Colton Cosper (7-3, 4.35 ERA) vs. MIL RHP Gavin Theis (3-4, 6.19 ERA)

Saturday, 2 p.m. ET:  Live Stats  | TV:  N/A

Expected Pitching Match-Up:  MER RHP Braydon Kersey (True freshman) vs. MIL RHP Logan Schulfer (1-4, 7.04 ERA)

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET:  Live Stats  | TV:  Watch (ESPN+)

Expected Pitching Match-Up:  MER TBA vs. MIL RHP Mike Sullivan (0-0, 10.80 ERA)

Follow the Bears

Baseball Site | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Game Notes

Returning first team all-conference selection Colton Cosper gets his second consecutive Opening Day nod for the Bears. Cosper returns seven wins and a 4.35 ERA from a season ago, giving Mercer an established frontline starter in the Southern Conference.

Cosper was joined on the preseason all-conference first team by teammates Ty Dalley, Jess Ackerman and Bradley Frye. Dalley, the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year pick by the league's coaches, D1Baseball and Perfect Game, is among the league's returning leaders in batting average (.316), home runs (21) and RBI (71). Ackerman figures to play a key role on the Bears pitching staff once again after a 2024 season in which he made 23 appearances and finished fifth in the SoCon with 71 strikeouts. In the middle of the infield, Frye returns as a two-year starter and one of the top shortstops in the southeast, hitting .282 with nine homers while playing stellar defense last season. First baseman Parker Lester is another staple in the middle of the order for the Bears, returning 15 homers, 15 doubles and a .307 batting average from a season ago.

To compliment a strong veteran core, the Bears added 24 newcomers to bolster the roster. Reliever Terry Busse figures to be an impact transfer as an important piece in the back end of the Bears bullpen. Busse earned the nickname "Scary Terry" at Georgia Tech in 2022 when he emerged as one of the top closers in the ACC, posting nine saves in 22 appearances. Second baseman Titan Kamaka is another impact transfer from the ACC, coming to Mercer from Florida State. Kamaka appeared in 41 games and made 32 starts for the Seminoles as a true freshman in 2022. The Bears also welcome an influx of talent from the junior college ranks, including catcher Zack Thompson, outfielder Drew Johnson and third baseman Brant Baughcum, all of whom are expected to play key roles in Bears lineup this season.

The Bears also feature a strong freshman class, with Perfect Game ranking the group as their 57^th best recruiting class in the country. Two-way player Braydon Kersey was selected as Perfect Game's Preseason Freshman of the Year in their conference preview and will make his first career start on the mound on Saturday. Kersey is also expected to see time at DH for the Bears.

This weekend marks the first-ever meeting between the Bears and Panthers. Milwaukee went 19-36 a year ago, including a 13-17 record in Horizon League play, finishing the regular season in fourth place. The Panthers were selected to finish fifth in the Horizon League in D1Baseball's Horizon League preview.

Season tickets can be purchased for as little as $110, with single-game tickets being available for purchase as well.