Wednesday, April 30
Atlanta, Ga.
6 p.m.
Mercer University
8
at
4
Georgia State
Bears Win Fifth In A Row, Complete Season Sweep Of Georgia State
4/30/2025 10:42:00 PM | Baseball
ATLANTA – The Mercer baseball team won their fifth consecutive game and completed a season sweep of Georgia State on Wednesday night, taking down the Panthers by a score of 8-4. The Bears used four runs in the third to take a lead that they would never relinquish, securing win number 30 of the season.
Brant Baughcum (2-for-4) drove in three runs, Parker Lester (1-for-2) added two RBI and Eli Stephens (2-for-3) had a multi-hit day and scored two runs to lead the Bears offensively. Ten Mercer pitchers saw action, with Andrew Garnett (2-1) earning the win and Collin Ewaldsen recording the final five outs to lock down his third save of the season. Dylan Matela (0-2) took the loss for Georgia State.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers grabbed an early lead, mounting a two-out rally in the first inning to scratch across a run. Georgia State threatened again in the second, but were kept off the board as Baughcum threw a runner out at home and Andrew Garnett induced a pop up to strand the bases loaded.
The Bears put up a crooked number in the top of the third, taking advantage of five walks and an error to put up four runs. The inning was highlighted by an RBI infield single from Ty Dalley, an RBI groundout from Titan Kamaka, and a nine-pitch with bases loaded walk from Lester.
Bryce Hawkins took over on the mound in the home half of the third, stranding runners at first and third to put up a zero. The Bears added to the lead in the top of the fourth, as Michael Graziano reached on a walk, stole second and advanced on a wild pitch to put himself on third base with one out. Baughcum took advantage, lifting a sac fly to center to drive in the run.
Georgia State answered in the bottom of the inning by scratching across a run, forcing a Mercer pitching change. However, Lawson Cole answered the call and shut things down, striking out two to strand a man in scoring position. Cole went back out in the fifth and continued to roll, working around a leadoff walk to work a scoreless inning.
Looking to extend the lead, Lester led off the sixth with a double before Stephens singled to put two on with nobody out. It looked as if the Panthers might escape without giving up a run, as a shallow fly ball and a strike out brought Baughcum to the plate with two outs. Baughcum would not be denied, however, continuing his big day with a base knock up the middle to score both runners and make the score 7-2.
Craig Kalkbrenner became the next Mercer pitcher to enter the game in the bottom of the sixth and worked a 1-2-3 frame to keep the lead at five. The Bears added to the lead in the top of the seventh, with Lester driving in Drew Johnson with a sac fly for his second RBI of the day.
Caden Alvey was next to toe the slab for Mercer, striking out the leadoff man in the bottom of the seventh before giving way to Braydon Kersey. The freshman allowed a solo home run but buckled down with runners on second and third, coming up with a strikeout for out number three.
Georgia State would not go away quietly, mounting another threat in the bottom of the eighth. The Panthers pushed across a run and looked as if they would add on by loading the bases with one out. The Bears turned to Ewaldsen, who continued his dominant stretch by inducing two fly outs to escape the jam with a 8-4 lead.
Ewaldsen came back out for the ninth and left no doubt, striking out the side to secure the win. The outing ran his scoreless appearance streak to ten and lowered his season ERA to 4.22.
UP NEXT
Mercer will look to extend their winning streak to six on Friday when they open a three-game set at Wofford. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.
Brant Baughcum (2-for-4) drove in three runs, Parker Lester (1-for-2) added two RBI and Eli Stephens (2-for-3) had a multi-hit day and scored two runs to lead the Bears offensively. Ten Mercer pitchers saw action, with Andrew Garnett (2-1) earning the win and Collin Ewaldsen recording the final five outs to lock down his third save of the season. Dylan Matela (0-2) took the loss for Georgia State.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Panthers grabbed an early lead, mounting a two-out rally in the first inning to scratch across a run. Georgia State threatened again in the second, but were kept off the board as Baughcum threw a runner out at home and Andrew Garnett induced a pop up to strand the bases loaded.
The Bears put up a crooked number in the top of the third, taking advantage of five walks and an error to put up four runs. The inning was highlighted by an RBI infield single from Ty Dalley, an RBI groundout from Titan Kamaka, and a nine-pitch with bases loaded walk from Lester.
Bryce Hawkins took over on the mound in the home half of the third, stranding runners at first and third to put up a zero. The Bears added to the lead in the top of the fourth, as Michael Graziano reached on a walk, stole second and advanced on a wild pitch to put himself on third base with one out. Baughcum took advantage, lifting a sac fly to center to drive in the run.
Georgia State answered in the bottom of the inning by scratching across a run, forcing a Mercer pitching change. However, Lawson Cole answered the call and shut things down, striking out two to strand a man in scoring position. Cole went back out in the fifth and continued to roll, working around a leadoff walk to work a scoreless inning.
Looking to extend the lead, Lester led off the sixth with a double before Stephens singled to put two on with nobody out. It looked as if the Panthers might escape without giving up a run, as a shallow fly ball and a strike out brought Baughcum to the plate with two outs. Baughcum would not be denied, however, continuing his big day with a base knock up the middle to score both runners and make the score 7-2.
Craig Kalkbrenner became the next Mercer pitcher to enter the game in the bottom of the sixth and worked a 1-2-3 frame to keep the lead at five. The Bears added to the lead in the top of the seventh, with Lester driving in Drew Johnson with a sac fly for his second RBI of the day.
Caden Alvey was next to toe the slab for Mercer, striking out the leadoff man in the bottom of the seventh before giving way to Braydon Kersey. The freshman allowed a solo home run but buckled down with runners on second and third, coming up with a strikeout for out number three.
Georgia State would not go away quietly, mounting another threat in the bottom of the eighth. The Panthers pushed across a run and looked as if they would add on by loading the bases with one out. The Bears turned to Ewaldsen, who continued his dominant stretch by inducing two fly outs to escape the jam with a 8-4 lead.
Ewaldsen came back out for the ninth and left no doubt, striking out the side to secure the win. The outing ran his scoreless appearance streak to ten and lowered his season ERA to 4.22.
UP NEXT
Mercer will look to extend their winning streak to six on Friday when they open a three-game set at Wofford. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m.
Players Mentioned
LHP
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3B
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RHP
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RHP/OF
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RHP
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OF
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RHP
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OF
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SS/RHP
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INF
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INF/RHP
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INF
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