‘Survivor’ fan favorite to throw out first pitch at Mercer’s home opener

A “Survivor” fan favorite and former Macon news anchor is set to take the mound at the Mercer baseball game Friday.

Rick Devens, from ‘Survivor’ season No. 38, Edge of Extinction, will throw out the first pitch at 4 p.m. for Mercer’s home opener, according to Devens’ Twitter page.

Devens quickly became a fan favorite on the show after being eliminated early in the show before returning at the merge after winning a challenge to return from the Edge of Extinction, a twist that sent castaways to another island away from the tribes with a chance to get back in the game. His antics, idol finding skills and news reports from the island, endeared him to fans around the world.

He finished fourth after being eliminated in the fire-making challenge against the eventual winner Chris Underwood, the other returnee from the Edge of Extinction. Devens also won five individual immunity challenges while on the show which is just two shy of the show’s all-time record. ‘Survivor’ started season 40 on Wednesday night featuring 20 returning winners.

This story was originally published February 14, 2020 at 11:47 AM.