ATHENS — Mercer scored six runs in the final two innings but it wasn't enough to stave off elimination in the Athens Regional Friday afternoon at Foley Field.
The fourth-seeded Bears fell 10-6 to No. 2 seed Florida Atlantic but made it interesting at the end getting the tying run to the on-deck circle.
With the win, the Owls (41-20) stay alive and will await the loser of the Georgia-Florida State matchup in Sunday's noon elimination showdown. Mercer finishes its season at 35-29.
For a second straight day a Mercer starter, this time Sawyer Gipson-Long, was roughed up. Gipson-Long went just four innings yielding five runs on eight hits. The Bears offense also was quiet until the eighth when they plated five runs behind a home run from Kel Johnson, RBI singles from Leyton Pinckney and Trevor Austin, and a two-run double from Bill Knight to cut the lead in half at 10-5. Collin Price homered in the ninth to make it 10-6 but Kyle Dockus grounded into a double play with a pair of runners on to end the game.
"I wish we had started off like the finish, but it just didn't happen that way," Mercer head coach Craig Gibson said. "I thought Sawyer [Gipson-Long] gave us a good start. One thing about Florida Atlantic is they don't give any at-bats away. That's a tough offensive lineup now and a really good club. I thought we played well today. We just ran up against a team that was better.”
Freshman Jacob Josey (2-0) got the win for the Owls tossing seven scoreless innings and scattering four hits. At the plate, junior outfielder Bobby Morgensen continued his hot hitting with two more home runs, giving him four in the regional and 11 of the season.
