Bears Drop Tight Battle To Alabama State

Tuesday, March 11

Macon, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

12-5

Alabama State

7-11

Alabama State

Mercer

3/11/2025 9:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

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

MACON – The Mercer baseball team dropped a tight contest on Tuesday night, falling to Alabama State by a score of 7-5 at OrthoGeorgia Park.

Zach Thomas (1-for-2) delivered a pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning to things up, while Brant Baughcum (2-for-4) also homered for the Bears. Shadai Colon (1-0) got the win in relief for the Hornets, while Collin Ewaldsen (0-2) took the loss for Mercer.

Jackson Gaspard got the start for the Bears and worked a pair of scoreless innings to begin the night. However, the Hornets were able to get on the board first with two RBI singles in the top of the third.

With the Mercer bats struggling to get going, Gaspard kept the Bears in the game by inducing a double play to get out of the inning in the fourth before stranding runners at the corners in the fifth. Gaspard's night came to an end in the sixth inning, however, when a solo home run put Alabama State up by three.

Needing a rally, the Bears found life in the bottom of the sixth when Cade Norton led off with a single and Ely Brown drew a walk. With one out, Ty Dalley stepped up to the plate and shot a line drive into the gap in left center, driving in two with his ninth double of the season.

With the lead cut to one, Alabama State answered back in the top of the seventh with two runs to go up 5-2.

Not willing to go away just yet, the Bears mounted another rally in the home half of the seventh. Baughcum led off the inning and put a charge into one, driving a home run over the wall in left field to get a run back. Following a pitching change, Drew Johnson worked a 10-pitch walk to bring up pinch-hitter Zach Thomas. After working the count full, Thomas jumped on a pitch and gave it a ride out to right center for his first home run of the season, tying the game at five.

However, just as they had in the inning prior, the Hornets battled back in the eighth. After two quick outs to start the inning, Alabama State took the lead back with a single and a two-run home run. The 7-5 lead would be all the Hornets needed, as they collected the final six outs to secure the win.

The Bears will play the second of five games at OrthoGeorgia Park this week when Kennesaw State comes to town tomorrow. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Looking ahead to the weekend, the Bears welcome Tennessee Tech for a three-game set starting on Friday. Fans can get their tickets ahead of time by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.