Wednesday, May 26, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Four Mercer pitchers combined to toss a four-hitter as the second-seeded Bears cruised past No. 5 Jacksonville 10-1 in the opening game for both teams in the 2010 Atlantic Sun Baseball Championship at Ken Dugan Field on the campus of Lipscomb University.

The first inning set the tone for the whole game. A-Sun Freshman of the Year Dan Gulbransen picked up a two-out single for the Dolphins (25-28) in the top half of the inning. Last year’s Championship MVP Alex Martinez followed and looked to be handing JU an early two-run advantage but Joe Winker reeled in the towering shot with his back against the wall in left field.

Read the Atlantic Sun Insider Column from Mercer's victory HERE.

In the bottom half of the frame, seven straight Bears reached base to chase JU starter Matt Loosen. Before the inning was over, Mercer (34-22) put five runs on the scoreboard. Nick DiMauro, who ended the day 5-for-5 (tying the A-Sun Championship single-game record for hits), provided the big shot with a two-run double.

DiMauro, who hit .500 against the Dolphins in their three-game series in March, added singles in the third, seventh and eighth innings to a fifth-inning double to complete his 5-for-5 performance. He became the sixth player in A-Sun Championship history to collect five hits in a game and the first since Belmont’s Jason Warpool accomplished the feat against Jacksonville State in 2003.

Bear starter Matt McCall, an All-Freshman selection, held the Dolphins to one hit over 5.1 innings in improving to 7-2. Matt Loosen took the loss for Jacksonville. His record moves to 3-4.

The Bears, who picked up their first win at the A-Sun Championship since 2007, will face the winner of UNF-ETSU at 7:00 p.m. CT on Thursday. The Dolphins take on Stetson at 11:00 a.m. CT the first elimination game of the week. All the action will be broadcast, free of charge, on ASun.TV.

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The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.