Bears Fall To Kennesaw State

Wednesday, March 12

Macon, Ga.

6 p.m.

Mercer University

12-6

Kennesaw State

7-11

Kennesaw State

Mercer

3/12/2025 9:40:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

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

MACON – The Mercer baseball team dropped their second close game in a row on Wednesday night, falling to Kennesaw State by a score of 5-3.

Ty Dalley (1-for-4) homered for the fifth time this season, while Brant Baughcum (1-for-4) drove in two for the Bears. On the mound, Cade Cosper turned in another fine start, tossing a career-high 5 – 2/3 innings with one earned run. Daniel Powell (2-1) got the win for the Owls, while Jess Ackerman (1-1) took the loss for Mercer.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The night began as a pitcher's duel, as neither team was able to get the bats going through the first three and half innings. Cosper was locked in from the jump, striking out three in his first four innings of work with a bunt single representing the only hit allowed.

With two outs in the fourth, the Bears put together a rally to get the scoring started. Zach Thomas and Parker Lester each reached via the free pass, bringing up Baughcum with men on first and second. Baughcum capitalized on the opportunity, lacing a double into the left field corner that allowed both runners to score, giving the Bears a 2-0 lead.

The Owls answered back in the fifth inning, using two singles and an error to scratch across a run. However, Cosper held firm, stranding runners on second and third to preserve the lead.

Cosper went back out to the mound in the top of the sixth, getting two outs before a single put runners on first and second and chased the right-hander from the ballgame. With Jeb Johnson now on the mound, the Owls managed a seeing-eye single through the right side of the infield to even things up at two apiece.

The Bears got the run right back in the bottom of the inning when Dalley jumped on a 1-1 pitch for a moonshot home run to right field. The solo shot was the 43^rd of his Mercer career, leaving him 13 shy of the program record.

As the game moved into the seventh inning, the Owls mounted yet another comeback, using an RBI double to tie it back up. In the home half of the inning, the Bears looked as if they might regain the lead when Drew Johnson came up with a leadoff double, but he was left stranded at third and score remained tied.

Kennesaw State pounced on the momentum generated in the bottom of the seventh, coming up with a two-out single to take their first lead of the night at 4-3. After the retiring the side in order in the bottom of the eighth, the Owls went back to work on offense to come up with an insurance run in the top of the ninth. With the Bears down to their final three outs, the Owls worked around a two out walk to secure the 5-3 win.

UP NEXT

The Bears remain at OrthoGeorgia Park this weekend, welcoming Tennessee Tech for a three-game set starting on Friday at 6 p.m. Fans can get their tickets ahead of time by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.