Bears Lose In Series Opening Shootout

Friday, April 10

Cullowhee, N.C.

5 p.m.

Mercer University

25-9, 0

Western Carolina

21-14, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Mercer	3	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	6	12	0
Western Carolina	1	1	0	2	2	1	0	3	X	10	15	0

4/10/2026 9:30:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Rylee Bamberger, Rylee.m.bamberger@live.mercer.edu

CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Mercer Bears (25-9, 4-3 SoCon) dropped their third consecutive series opener despite racking up two doubles, three home runs and 12 total hits on Friday night at Hennon Stadium in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

Decisive Plays:

Logan Shepherd came off the bus swinging and blasted his 12th home run of the season that gave the Bears a 2-0 lead in the opening frame after a Michael Graziano leadoff double. Eli Stephens rounded the bases just two at-bats later when he left the yard for the 10th time this year. Western Carolina answered with an RBI triple in the home half of the inning and cut Mercer's lead to one with an RBI single in the bottom of the second. Braydon Kersey blasted a solo home run (12) to dead center field and made it a 4-2 ballgame in the top of the fourth inning. The Catamounts responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. A pair of RBI singles by Stephens and Brant Baughcum pushed the Bears back into the lead in the fifth. Western Carolina tied the game with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Wyatt Stanley homered to give the Catamounts a 7-6 lead and Western Carolina tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom half of the eighth to take the series opener.

Key Contributors:

Eli Stephens: 3-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, R
Brant Baughcum: 2-for-4, RBI, 2B
Logan Shepherd: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB

Next Game:

The Bears continue their weekend series against Western Carolina on Saturday, April 11. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. RHP Miguel Hugas (6-1, 5.31 ERA) will take the mound for Mercer and LHP Davis Wright (2-1, 7.71 ERA) will start for the Catamounts. Live stats are available here. You can watch live with ESPN+.