BUIES CREEK, N.C.- Mercer's
offense pounded out 31 hits and 26 runs to push past Campbell twice
in an Atlantic Sun double-header, Saturday at Taylor Field. Campbell drops to 3-3 overall
and 1-2 in the A-Sun, while Mercer improves to 3-4 and 2-1 in
league play.
Justin Boyette (1-1) was brilliant in game one tossing seven strong
innings and scattering four hits en route to an 8-2 Mercer victory,
earning his first triumph of 2008. Campbell's Dan Gardo (1-1) suffered his
first loss of the young season going 5.1 innings allowing eight
runs, seven of which were earned.
John Hoelzer (1-1) followed suit in the second game picking up a
win on the mound for the Mercer Bears, who belted 24 hits on their
way to an 18-5 series clinching victory. Campbell's Brandon Scott was chased
early and credited with the loss allowing six earned runs in 1.1
innings of work. Scott was
one of seven pitchers to throw for Campbell in game two.
Matt Crawford, Billy Shaughnessy and John Dortch headlined Mercer's
offense picking up four hits each in Saturday's double-header. Dortch went 4-for-10 with six
RBI on the day, while Crawford was 4-for-6 with a pair of RBI and
Shaughnessy was 4-for-7 with two RBI and three runs scored. Mercer saw 13 different players
pick up hits in game two.
Mike Causey was one of ten Campbell batters to have a hit in game
two going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while red-shirt
sophomore Matt Gardner grabbed his first career hit on a liner in
the left-center gap.
Mercer struck first in game one in the top of the fourth plating
four runners in the frame.
Clean-up hitter Joe Winker broke the game's three inning scoreless
streak with a two RBI bases loaded double. After Steve Karwatt drove in a run on
a fielders choice, Winker extended Mercers lead to 4-0 crossing the
plate on a pass ball.
The Bears added a run in the fifth and three in the sixth
lengthening their lead to eight. After Crawford scored on error by
Campbell's Brian Gana in the fifth inning, Mercer tacked on three
more in its next frame thanks to a three RBI home run by
Dortch.
Campbell scratched its way back plating runners in the seventh and
eighth innings but its late rally fell short finalizing the score
in favor of Mercer 8-2.
Sophomore Zach Johnson drew a bases loaded walk in the seventh,
while Ryan Hamme scored Campbell's second baseman Ellis Lowe on a
sacrifice fly eighth.
Mercer's bats stayed hot in game two kicking off the game with a
pair of three run innings, followed with a six run seventh and
three run ninth to put the game out of reach. Highlighting one of Mercer's 24 hits
in the game was a bases loaded triple by Dortch. Dortch, a senior from Tallahassee,
Fla. also scored two runs on the day in addition to his six
RBI.
Campbell scored single runs in five different innings but fell
short tallying 11 hits in game two. John Watlington was productive from
the plate for the Camels collecting two RBI without recording a
hit.
With the wins Mercer evens the all-time series at 26-26, with
Friday's game marking the 50th time the two institutions
met.
Campbell will turn around and head to Gainesville, Fla. on Tuesday,
Mar. 4 to face the University of Florida. Tuesday's game, which is the first of
two, is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.
