Furman avoids sweep, shuts out Mercer
The Furman Paladins avoided a three-game sweep this weekend when they defeated Mercer 4-0 on Sunday at Claude Smith Field.
Matthew Quarles pitched seven strong innings and Carter Grote drove in two runs as Mercer was shut out for the first time this season. Kevin Coulter was the tough-luck loser, allowing only one run in seven innings.
Three who mattered
Quarles: The junior right-hander entered the game with a 6.97 ERA, but he was superb Sunday. He had 10 strikeouts and gave up only three hits and retired 10 out of the final 11 hitters he faced.
Coulter: The Mercer freshman was equally effective on the mound, throwing seven innings of one-run baseball. He scattered eight hits and walked only one batter and threw only 85 pitches in his seven innings of work.
Andrew MacLatchie: The Furman catcher went hitless, but he gunned down Trey Truitt, who had singled, in the third inning, and threw out Kyle Lewis in the fourth inning. After Lewis was thrown out, Ryan Hagan followed with a single, and that was Mercer’s final hit of the game.
Observation
Tough day at the plate: Mercer was 8-2 in the past 10 games and averaged right at eight runs a game in that span, but the Bears could not figure out Quarles and reliever Jake Crawford. They did not have a runner reach second base in the entire game.
They said it
Mercer head coach Craig Gibson on Furman’s pitching: “They had great pitching (Saturday), and tip your cap to (Quarles). He made great pitches, and we didn’t have many chances on him. I will be honest; I can’t remember the last time we got shut out. The guy came in with a high ERA, but he was great (Sunday). I will admit that I was a little surprised. We were trying to hunt some fastball counts, but he had great command of his change-up, and he was throwing that in fastball counts and was throwing his curve for first pitch strikes. He was just really good. I think it takes a great effort on the mound to beat us, and they got it (Sunday).”
Gibson on Coulter: “He’s been great, and that’s what I told him. We know we have been getting strong outings on Sunday. Kevin has been great for us, and I am sure he will be great for us next weekend against Western Carolina.”
Gibson on starting catcher Charlie Madden, Mercer’s starting catcher, who missed the past two games: “Charlie will be fine. He strained a back muscle and probably could have gone (Sunday), but I held him out to make sure we are ready for Friday.”
What’s next?
Mercer (25-16,10-5 Southern Conference) travels to Savannah State for a Tuesday game before heading to Western Carolina for a three-game series that begins Friday.
This story was originally published April 24, 2016 at 5:52 PM with the headline "Furman avoids sweep, shuts out Mercer."