Saturday, March 20, 2010

TAMPA BAY, Fla. – Sophomore Brandon Love pitched seven stellar innings to carry the Mercer baseball team to a 2-1 win in the opening game of a three-game series against South Florida on Friday evening.

The win was Mercer’s 10th in its last 11 games, improving its overall record to 14-5 on the season. The Bears 14-5 start is the team’s best start over their first 19 games this decade.

“Tonight’s game was just a great college baseball game,” head coach Craig Gibson said. “I am just so proud of our team to come into a hostile environment and come away with a great win against a Big East team.”

The Bears threatened in the first inning off Bulls starter Randy Fontanez, who was named the 2010 Big East Preseason Pitcher of the Year. Senior Nick DiMauro reached on an error and sophomore Jacob Tanis walked to give Mercer runners on first and second with one out. Fontanez managed to regroup after the walk by retiring the final two batters of the inning to escape the jam.

Mercer broke through in the third, however, to take an early lead thanks once again to the combination of DiMauro and Tanis. DiMauro scorched a single to right field with two outs and Tanis drove him in with a double to right to make the score 1-0.

Love got the start for the Orange and Black and looked very comfortable on hill in his first road start of the season. The Augusta, Ga. native allowed just three hits through the first three innings.