Saturday, May 10
Blacksburg, Va.
3 p.m.
Mercer University
31-21
0
at
2
Virginia Tech
28-22
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Mercer
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
Virginia Tech
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
X
2
4
0
Bears Fall To Virginia Tech In Pitcher’s Duel
5/10/2025 6:14:00 PM | Baseball
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Mercer pitchers Colton Cosper and Jess Ackerman limited Virginia Tech to two runs on four hits, but the Bears were kept off the scoreboard in a 2-0 loss to the Hokies on Saturday afternoon.
Ely Brown (1-for-2) reached base three times to lead the Bears at the plate. Cosper got the start and was excellent, working four scoreless innings with just two hits allowed. Ackerman (4-3) took over in the fifth and struck out four while allowing two runs on a home run, getting the loss. Cameron LeJeune (3-2) got the win for Virginia Tech.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cosper was sharp from the start, working around a two-out double in the first before retiring the side in order in the second. The Bears threatened to score in the top of the third, as Drew Johnson led off the inning with a single and stole second to put himself in scoring position. With two outs in the inning, Brown and Brant Baughcum each drew a walk to load the bases. However, a pop-up kept the Bears off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the third, Cosper rolled a 6-4-3 double play to put up another zero. In his fourth and final inning of work, Cosper sat down the Hokies on 11 pitches to keep it a 0-0 ballgame.
Ackerman took the mound in the fifth inning and rolled a 6-4-3 double play of his own to put up a zero. The Bears threatened again in the bottom of the inning, as Brown drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt and to third on a groundout. However, a strikeout ended the frame and keep things scoreless.
The Hokies finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth, using a two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead. Despite the homer, Ackerman kept the Bears in the game, striking out two in a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
The top of the eighth saw another quality leadoff at-bat from Brown, who singled on a full count to get on base for the third time. However, a tough-luck double play on a hit-and-run erased the baserunner and helped the Hokies put up another scoreless inning. Ackerman retired the side in order once again in the bottom of the inning, marking eight straight hitters retired for the left-hander.
Looking for a ninth inning rally, Bradley Frye led off the inning with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch to open the door for the Bears. In the end, however, the Hokies were able to come up with a pair of strike outs before a pop-up ended things at 2-0 in favor of the home side.
UP NEXT
The Bears and Hokies will meet again tomorrow at 1 p.m. for the series finale.
Ely Brown (1-for-2) reached base three times to lead the Bears at the plate. Cosper got the start and was excellent, working four scoreless innings with just two hits allowed. Ackerman (4-3) took over in the fifth and struck out four while allowing two runs on a home run, getting the loss. Cameron LeJeune (3-2) got the win for Virginia Tech.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cosper was sharp from the start, working around a two-out double in the first before retiring the side in order in the second. The Bears threatened to score in the top of the third, as Drew Johnson led off the inning with a single and stole second to put himself in scoring position. With two outs in the inning, Brown and Brant Baughcum each drew a walk to load the bases. However, a pop-up kept the Bears off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the third, Cosper rolled a 6-4-3 double play to put up another zero. In his fourth and final inning of work, Cosper sat down the Hokies on 11 pitches to keep it a 0-0 ballgame.
Ackerman took the mound in the fifth inning and rolled a 6-4-3 double play of his own to put up a zero. The Bears threatened again in the bottom of the inning, as Brown drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sac bunt and to third on a groundout. However, a strikeout ended the frame and keep things scoreless.
The Hokies finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth, using a two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead. Despite the homer, Ackerman kept the Bears in the game, striking out two in a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
The top of the eighth saw another quality leadoff at-bat from Brown, who singled on a full count to get on base for the third time. However, a tough-luck double play on a hit-and-run erased the baserunner and helped the Hokies put up another scoreless inning. Ackerman retired the side in order once again in the bottom of the inning, marking eight straight hitters retired for the left-hander.
Looking for a ninth inning rally, Bradley Frye led off the inning with a single before advancing to second on a wild pitch to open the door for the Bears. In the end, however, the Hokies were able to come up with a pair of strike outs before a pop-up ended things at 2-0 in favor of the home side.
UP NEXT
The Bears and Hokies will meet again tomorrow at 1 p.m. for the series finale.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Cameron LeJeune (3-2)
L: Ackerman, Jess (4-3)
S: Grant Manning (4)
Batting:
SH: Baughcum, Brant 1
Base Running:
SB: Johnson, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Ben Watson 1
HR: Jared Davis 1
RBI: Jared Davis 2
SH: Hudson Lutterman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jared Davis 1 ; Cam Pittman 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
LHP
/ Baseball
3B
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballSS
/ BaseballOF
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