Macon, Ga. – Western Carolina spotted Mercer a pair of solo markers in the first two innings before cutting the deficit in half in the eighth inning, but the Catamounts could not manage the timely hit in dropping its Southern Conference series opener at Mercer 2-1 on Friday night at OrthoGeorgia Park.
 
The Bears (18-9, 3-1 SoCon) got a two-out run-scoring single by Trevor Austin in the home half of the first and a lead-off home run by Carter Geier to start the second in building a two-run lead they carried into the final third of Friday's game one.
 
In the eighth inning, WCU (10-15, 1-3 SoCon) put two on as Pascanel Ferreras drew a lead-off walk and Cole Jones laced a pinch-hit double down the right-field line. Zach Ketterman then drove in the run on a groundout to the right side of the infield. It was as close as the Catamounts would get as a groundout ended the eighth and a double-play erased a lead-off walk in the top of the ninth as Mercer held on for the victory.
 
Friday's storyline was missed offensive opportunities for both squads as the two teams combined to turn six double-plays – three aside – and stranded a total of 14 on base, eight by WCU and six for Mercer. The Catamounts left four on base through the first three innings and later stranded the bases loaded in a pivotal seventh inning.

Brandon Butterworth collected two of WCU's six hits in the loss including a first-inning double. Kyle Riesselmann doubled in the seventh inning and Jones doubled in the eighth in his lone plate appearance. Ketterman drew one of WCU's five walks and reached on an HBP, finishing 1-for-3 in getting aboard three times in addition to tallying the lone RBI.
 
Hero of last Friday's conference-opening victory, Nick Torres (3-2) was saddled with the loss in his first start of the season. The Woodstock, Ga., product countered four walks with three strikeouts in allowing two earned runs over a solid six-inning start. Gavin Mortenson struck out two against a walk in two innings of one-hit, scoreless relief.
 
Mercer starter Colton Cosper (1-2) earned his first victory of the season, working around four hits over five scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Wesley Franklin picked up his sixth save of the year, tossing the final 2.2 innings with a run on one hit allowed with two walks and a strikeout.
 
Austin (3-for-4) finished with three of Mercer's seven hits with Geier collecting the lone extra-base hit with his second-inning homer.
 
The loss was a third-straight for WCU while also ending a three-game series win streak as the Catamounts swept the series in Cullowhee a year ago. Mercer head coach Craig Gibson earned his 649th career win becoming Mercer's all-time winningest head coach.
 
The series continues Saturday afternoon with a first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m. The only coverage for the remainder of the series is through live stats by StatBroadcast, available through a link at CatamountSports.com. WCU is projected to start RHP Matt Schepel (1-1, 4.50 ERA) while Mercer will counter with RHP Ryan Lobus (3-1, 4.45 ERA).
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount baseball and WCU Athletics through social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountBSB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountbsb).