April 23, 2010

Final Stats

MACON, Ga. - Senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) hit a three-run homer in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game for the USC Upstate baseball team, but Mercer was able to score two runs in the bottom of the frame and hang on for an 8-6 win in the opener of an Atlantic Sun Conference series on Friday night.

Down 6-3 in the sixth inning, Upstate got back into the game with a shot over the left-field fence by Tanner. Senior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) started the rally with a one-out drag bunt single before junior Joe Barnes (Lake Orion, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) drew a walk to set up Tanner, who delivered his career-high third big fly of the year.

The Bears fired back with two runs in the bottom of the inning, though, as doubles from Jacob Tanis, Michael Langley, Joe Winker and an error led to the runs.

The Spartans got on the board first, scoring three runs in the fifth. With one out, freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) singled through the right side and both junior Andre Harris (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) and freshman Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C./Great Fall) followed with walks to load the bases. After a strikeout, Barnes delivered a 2-2 pitch just inside the third base line to score all three runners.

The Bears got the lead back in the bottom of the inning, as both John Moreland and Jacob Tanis, who hit his A-Sun leading 19th of the year, hit two-run homers. The Bears got two more runs in the sixth inning, thanks to RBI hits from Moreland and Billy Burns.

Tyler McCarty and Tanis each posted three hits, with Tanis adding two runs, two RBI, a homer and a double. Langley, Winker and Moreland all each posted two hits as well. Dempsey led the Spartans with two hits and a run and both Barnes and Tanner added three RBI.

Brandon Love (6-2) picked up the win in relief, as he threw a scoreless inning, allowing a hit and striking out one. Freshman Chris Knauff (Marietta, Ga./Walden) (1-1) took the loss, allowing three hits and an earned run in 2/3 of an inning.

Senior Matt Branham (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) started strong for the Spartans, striking out five in the first four innings, all scoreless efforts before Mercer got six runs in his final two innings on the hill. Still, Branham picked off a runner on first to move into a tie for the national lead with seven pickoffs from the mound this year.

Senior Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) also set a school record during the evening, as he took the mound for the 78th time in his career. He pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing a hit and no runs. He struck out one.

The Spartans and Bears get back into action with a 11 a.m. doubleheader at Claude Smith Field on Saturday to wrap up the three-game set. The games have been moved up two hours in order to avoid a rainstorm predicted to hit Macon in the afternoon.