Bears Silence High Point For 9th Straight Win

Friday, February 28

Macon, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

9-1

High Point

8-2

High Point

Mercer

Bears Silence High Point For 9th Straight Win

2/28/2025 10:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

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

MACON – Colton Cosper and Jess Ackerman combined for a masterful pitching performance against one of the country's hottest lineups and the offense delivered some timely hits as the Mercer baseball team won their ninth consecutive game, 7-1 over High Point on Friday night.

Cosper (1-0) turned in his best effort of the season against a High Point lineup that entered the weekend fifth in the country in runs scored, tossing five shutout innings with three hits allowed, seven strikeouts and no walks. Ackerman pitched the final four innings and did not skip a beat, limiting the Panthers to one run on four hits. On the night, the two left-handers combined for 11 strikeouts and just one walk. Ty Dalley (3-for-5, 2 RBI) led the way for the Bears offensively, while Ely Brown (1-for-4, 2 RBI) launched his first home run of the season to put the game away in the eighth.

The night started with an early threat by the Panthers, who put runners on second and third with nobody out in the top of the first. However, Cosper was able to bear down for three huge outs, picking up two strikeouts before inducing an infield pop-up to escape the jam. The Bears put together a threat of their own in the bottom of the first by loading the bases with two outs, but were unable to cash in.

Both starters cruised through the second and third innings, with a double from Bradley Frye providing the only base runner between the two frames. Cosper retired 11 Panthers in a row before a two-out single in the top of the fourth snapped the streak. However, Cosper struck out the next hitter to post his fourth consecutive zero.

The Mercer offense finally broke the scoreless streak in the bottom of the fourth when Drew Johnson singled home Brant Baughcum to start the scoring. In the next at-bat, Zack Thompson delivered another RBI single to score Michael Graziano and give the Bears a 2-0 lead.

After another 1-2-3 innings from Cosper and Ackerman in the fifth and sixth, the Bears broke things open in the bottom of the sixth. Two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for Ty Dalley, who delivered an opposite field double to the left field corner, scoring two huge runs to extend the lead. Following a walk to Parker Lester, Baughcum lifted a fly ball to center to plate Frye from third and make the score 5-0.

Ackerman continued to roll in the seventh, working around a leadoff error for another quick inning. In the home half of the frame, Brown went big fly to right field for his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to all but seal it for the Bears.

Working with a 7-0 lead, Ackerman found himself in a bit of trouble in the eighth when the Panthers loaded the bases with one out. However, he was able to get a ground ball to Frye at shortstop, who flipped to Johnson at second for one out before Lester made a nice stretch at first base for the double play.

In the ninth inning, the Panthers spoiled the shutout with a two-out, two-strike home run to center field. Following a single in the next at-bat, Ackerman collected his third strikeout of the inning to close out a 7-1 win.

The Bears look to win their tenth consecutive game for the first time since 2022 when they host Florida A&M tomorrow at OrthoGeorgia Park at 4 p.m. On Sunday, the Bears will close out the weekend against High Point at 1 p.m. Fans can get their tickets ahead of time and skip the line by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.