ETSU bats finally stop Mercer winning streak
Mercer baseball’s hot streak was extinguished Sunday in a 9-2 loss to Southern Conference opponent ETSU.
The loss ended Mercer’s season-long eight-game winning streak and dropped the team to 21-5 overall and 2-1 in Southern Conference play. ETSU improved to 12-9 and 1-2 overall.
The Bucs struck first in the top of the second inning after Blake Rowlett’s nine-pitch at-bat single to center drove in runners from second and third. Rowlett then advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout to give ETSU a 3-0 lead.
But Mercer bounced back, and quickly. The Bears added two runs in the bottom of the inning off a Trey Truitt double to right field; he then advanced to third on a balk, but J.T. Thomas could not bring Truitt in for a tying score.
ETSU struck again in the top of the fourth, adding four runs to increase its lead. Rowlett produced again with a two-run home run to right field. Then, with two outs, Chris Cook knocked out another two-run home run for the Bucs to give ETSU a 7-2 lead.
Neither team scored again until the top of the ninth, when the Bucs added two more insurance runs off a back-to-back sacrifice fly from Cullen Smith and solo home run by Hagen Owenby.
Three who mattered
Truitt: The junior was responsible for the Bears’ only two runs of the game. He was 2-for-4 with two RBI, a double and a stolen base.
Rowlett: Entering the game hitting only .220, Rowlett produced in a big way for ETSU from the seventh spot in the lineup. He finished 2-of-4 with four RBI and a home run.
Blake Smith: The Bucs’ starter nearly pitched a complete game, going eight innings and allowing two earned runs and eight hits, while striking out eight.
Turning point
Mercer responded to ETSU’s first blow, but couldn’t respond a second time. The pair of two-run home runs in the top of the fourth inning gave the Bucs a five-run lead they would never relinquish.
Observations
Coming in bunches: All of the game’s runs were scored in three innings. Six of ETSU’s runs were scored on three swings, while all of Mercer’s runs were scored on Truitt’s double in the bottom of the second.
Running through relievers: After starter Chase Burks pitched the first four innings, Mercer sent out six different relief pitchers — four of whom pitched one inning. Burks finished with seven earned runs on 10 hits and four strikeouts. The six relievers — Andrew Kane, Josh Knies, Carter Varga, Sawyer Gipson-Long, Adam Corn and Kyle Bialousz — combined for four hits allowed, two earned runs and four strikeouts.
Left on base: Mercer finished with eight hits, but couldn’t turn them into runs. ETSU had 14 hits and left seven batters on base while the Bears left 10 men on.
Worth mentioning
Almost historic: With a win, Mercer would have recorded its best start in program history at 22-4.
Season low: Mercer’s two scored runs were a season low. The previous low was four in a 4-3 win over Georgia March 14.
They said it
Head coach Craig Gibson on not turning hits into runs: “We faced a good pitcher. He was really good. He had fastball command. He did a good job with his first-pitch strikes. It was just a tough game. He was (Southern Conference) Pitcher of the Week last week. He came in here and did a good job to beat us. They pitched well all weekend; we were just able to win Game 1 and Game 2 on them.”
Gibson on the top of the fourth inning: “It was huge. It sort of separated us a little bit. That’s what created a little distance, and we got into our bullpen.”
Gibson on bouncing back for Georgia Tech Tuesday: “We have to have a short-term memory. You play a lot of baseball, and (Sunday) just wasn’t our day… We were 4-1 in the week, and we’ve won a bunch of games. We want to play well against Georgia Tech. It’s an in-state team.”
What’s next?
The Bears host Georgia Tech at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Mercer lost to the Yellow Jackets 6-5 in Macon last season.
This story was originally published March 26, 2017 at 7:53 PM with the headline "ETSU bats finally stop Mercer winning streak."