MACON, Ga. (Interstat) — The Mercer Bears’ offense erupted for 11 runs in a marathon second inning Friday, turning a projected pitchers’ duel into a 16-4 rout of the Alcorn State Braves at Claude Smith Field.

The game, which saw Mercer pound out 16 hits, was decisively swung in the bottom of the second. Trailing 4-0 after stranding a runner in scoring position in the first, the Bears sent 16 batters to the plate against three Alcorn State pitchers. The frame featured eight hits, three walks, and a critical error that extended the inning.

Michael Graziano’s two-run double got Mercer on the board, and an error by Alcorn State first baseman Harris allowed another run to score. Chris Katz then tied the game with an RBI double, and Brant Baughcum gave Mercer the lead for good with a two-run double. After a pitching change, Braydon Kersey capped the onslaught with a two-run homer to deep right field. Eli Stephens and Graziano added RBI singles and a walk, respectively, before the inning finally ended.

Mercer starter Garrett Lambert was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion, earning the win with four strong innings. He allowed one earned run on two hits while striking out nine. The lone run against him came in the third when Alcorn State’s Bennett drove in Adams with a single.

The Bears continued to add on. Stephens launched a solo home run in the fourth, and Katz followed later in the inning with a two-run shot, his team-leading third of the season, to make it 14-1. Katz finished 2 for 3 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored, solidifying his status as Mercer’s top performer.

Alcorn State, which fell to 1-11, showed brief life in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring three runs on four hits against Mercer’s bullpen. Dunn had an RBI double in the sixth, and Derek pinch-hit an RBI double in the seventh. The Braves finished with eight hits but left multiple runners on base in the early innings against Lambert.

Mercer reliever Caleb Hughes worked a scoreless fifth, and the Bears added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to reach the final margin. For Alcorn State, relievers Garrett Oswald and Caden Wade combined for 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

The victory improved Mercer’s record to 12-2, while Alcorn State dropped its tenth consecutive game. The two teams are scheduled to continue their three-game series Saturday afternoon.

The most important part of the game was Mercer’s 11-run bottom of the second inning. This offensive explosion completely reversed the early trajectory of the game, transforming a 4-0 deficit into a commanding 11-4 lead from which Alcorn State could not recover. The inning drained multiple Braves pitchers, demoralized their defense following a key error, and allowed Mercer starter Garrett Lambert to settle in with a massive cushion. It rendered the remainder of the contest a formality, as the Bears cruised to the lopsided victory.