Mercer produced four-run eighth inning rallies in both ends of a twin bill to sweep the series-opening doubleheader from Siena Baseball in Georgia. The Bears took the opener 6-4 and the nightcap 8-6.
Game 1: Mercer 6, Siena 4
Mercer (12-7) worked five eighth inning walks off of four different Siena (0-15) relievers to rally to take the opener.
Parker Lester delivered the go-ahead sacrifice fly for the Bears, who scored six runs in the win despite the benefit of only four hits. Mercer worked 12 walks and three hit batsmen in the victory.
The Saints meanwhile totaled 10 hits, including a go-ahead solo home run from
Danny Barbero to take a 3-2 lead in the seventh. Barbero also added an RBI single in the ninth as part of a four-hit opener.
Austin Rachiele and
Luke Ulbert contributed a pair of hits apiece.
Alistair Morin struck out a season-high seven over 5.1 innings of solid work in a no-decision for Siena.
Game 2: Mercer 8, Siena 6
It was déjà vu for the Saints in the nightcap, as Mercer capped another four-run eighth inning rally with five more walks in the frame. Jackson Cherry opened the inning with a home run, with a pair of bases loaded walks forcing in the tying and go-ahead runs, and a wild pitch bringing the final run across.
The Bears bookended the game with four-run frames, as they jumped on the Saints early with a four-run first. But
Arnad Mulamekic and
Tyler Kidwell came out of the bullpen to toss three scoreless innings apiece, allowing just two hits and two walks with six strikeouts over six combined innings of relief to give Siena a chance to rally.
Rachiele got the Saints on the board with a two-run homer in the third, before Siena went on top with a three-run sixth.
Gunnar Meland highlighted a three-hit contest with the game-tying two-run single, and scored the go-ahead run on an RBI base hit from freshman
Noah Brooks.
Brooks capped a three-hit day of his own driving in Meland for the second time in three innings to make it six unanswered and stake Siena to a 6-4 lead in the eighth.
Brandon Prince tallied three hits out of the leadoff spot in the order for Mercer, while Cherry added three total RBI.
After dropping each of their past five weekend contests by two runs or less, and by a combined total of just seven runs, the Saints will look to break through in the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
