Box Score

Macon, Ga. - Using a three-run home half of the eighth inning, Mercer grabbed control of Friday night's see-saw Southern Conference series opener, downing Western Carolina, 11-8, to take game one at Claude Smith Field. The opener saw three ties with WCU taking a four-run advantage early before the Bears managed to rally.

Game two of the three-game SoCon series is scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 pm. The game will be broadcast on the Catamount Sports Network with live streaming audio online at CatamountSports.com.

Western Carolina (14-15, 6-4 SoCon) got off to a strong start with two runs in the first inning and a four-spot on a grand slam home run by senior Jacob Hoyle in the second inning to lead 6-3 through two frames. However, the Bears chipped away with runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at six apiece.

Freshman Brett Pope collected his second RBI of the game as he singled home junior Danny Bermudez in the top of the seventh to push WCU back ahead, 7-6. But the lead was short-lived as Mercer responded with two unearned runs in the home half of the frame to take its first lead of the game, 8-7.

In the decisive eighth inning, WCU managed to tie the game with a single run to make it 8-8. Austin Atwell led off with an infield bunt single and was later lifted by pinch runner, Garrett Brown. The two-sport standout stole second base to move into scoring position with pinch hitter Pierce Suttles providing a productive out on a deep fly to center field allowing Brown to advance to third. The next batter, Matt Smith, laced a RBI single through the right side to knot the game at eight, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

WCU put two more men aboard in the frame as Bradley Strong laid down a bunt single and Danny Bermudez singled into right field. However, the Catamounts were unable to bring home the go-ahead marker.

In the bottom of the eighth, Mercer got a one-out double by shortstop Matt Meeder. Two batters later, Kyle Lewis bounced a two-out single up the middle to plate the eventual game-winning run. The Bears added two insurance runs as Danny Edgeworth belted a RBI triple to right center with a wild pitch on a swinging third strike allowing the third run of the inning to cross the plate in Edgeworth and provide the final tally.

Smith led WCU with a career-best four hits in a 4-for-5 outing with a RBI. Pope finished 2-for-5 with a pair of run-scoring singles while Bradley Strong was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Bermudez reached four times in the loss in a 1-for-2 outing, walking twice and was plunked by a pitch in the first inning.

Hoyle, who left the game in the fourth inning with the nagging hand injury, matched a career-high with five RBI through his first two plate appearances. His first-inning, bases-loaded sacrifice fly was the 18th of his WCU career breaking the tie for first in the career record books to move him to first. He later belted his 32nd career home run - and the first grand slam of his career - to move into a three-way tie for 15th in program history.

Junior LHP Taylor Durand (0-2) was saddled with the loss, his first as a reliever this season. Durand surrendered three runs on three hits in two thirds of an inning. Sophomore B.J. Nobles struck out five in four and a third in the starting role with freshman Brendan Nail striking out one in two relief innings. Tyler Powell also tallied a strikeout for his third of an inning of work.

Mercer reliever Ben Lumsden (1-1) picked up the victory, tossing the final inning and a third of hitless, scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts. Bears starter Eric Nyquist was knocked out of the game after just an inning and a third, surrendering six runs - four earned - on six hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. But the most effective of Mercer's five pitchers was Morgan Pittman who struck out a career-high 11 including five-straight at one point in five and two-thirds innings of work.

All told, Mercer recorded 15 strikeouts against the Catamount hitters in taking the opener.

The Bears (21-14, 8-2 SoCon) had three players post multi-hit games including Meeder with a 3-for-5 outing with a double, scoring twice. Lewis finished 2-for-4 with the game-winning RBI while freshman Jackson Ware also posting a 2-for-4 outing.