University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Mercer
Mercer Downs Upstate 11-2
3/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2008
MACON, Ga. - A two-hit day from senior Andrew Runion (Simpsonville, S.C./Mauldin) that featured a home run was spoiled by a seven-run third inning, as Mercer downed the USC Upstate baseball team, 11-2, in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
The game was hampered by high winds and cold weather, forcing the second game of the doubleheader to be moved to Sunday to be completed as part of a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
Runion went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, as he blasted his 10th career homer to become the 27th player in school history to reach the mark.
The Bears' seven-run third inning helped Mercer (6-4 overall, 3-1 A-Sun) take an 8-2 lead, using four hits, three Spartan errors and a hit batter during the inning. Casey Stuart's two-RBI single helped to cap the inning. The Bears added three more runs in the seventh inning, combining two hits and three walks.
The Spartans (4-7 overall, 2-2 A-Sun) broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the third inning when Runion hit a towering flu ball on a 3-2 fastball over the center field fence.
Upstate got a run in the top of the first inning, as senior Casey Rivers (Hudson, Mass./Hudson) earned a one-out walk, took second on Runion's walk and scored on a two-base throwing error with two outs. Mercer drew even in the bottom of the frame, thanks to two singles and two hit batters.
Freshman Blake Stickley (Monroe, N.C./Weddington) delivered a base-hit single to left field as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning for his first collegiate hit.
Matt Crawford led the Bears with a 3-for-4 game, scoring two runs and driving one in. Tyler McCarty, Steve Karwatt and Stuart each added two hits with Karwatt and Stuart adding two RBIs. Joe Winker and Mike Armstrong also scored twice.
Senior Kyle Bowley (Apopka, Fla./Apopka) (2-1) pitched four innings, allowing eight runs. He allowed just one earned run, struck out three and walked two. He hit three batters. Junior Phillip Myers (Louisville, Ky./Seminole C.C.) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, striking out two.
Boone Webster (1-1) earned the win with six innings of four-hit baseball. Webster allowed two runs, one earned, walked four and struck out sevem. Lath Guyer earned the save with three innings of four-hit shutout ball, as he struck out six.
