STATESBORO, Ga. (Interstat) — Jess Ackerman pitched three scoreless innings of relief and the Mercer Bears built a 10-run first inning en route to a 10-7 victory over the Georgia Southern Eagles on Wednesday night at J. I. Clements Stadium.

Mercer improved to 36-13. Georgia Southern fell to 14-35.

Ackerman entered with one out in the seventh inning and the Bears clinging to a 10-7 lead after the Eagles had scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth. The right-hander struck out four, walked none and allowed no hits over three innings to earn the save. He retired the final eight batters he faced, striking out the side in the eighth.

The Bears erupted for 10 runs on six hits and five walks in the top of the first inning. Logan Shepherd doubled to right-center to open the game. After walks to Parker Katz and Adam Stephens, Bryce Baughcum singled through the right side, driving in Shepherd and Katz. Dylan LaPointe then crushed a three-run homer to deep center field, his ninth of the season, scoring Stephens and Baughcum to make it 6-0.

Georgia Southern made a pitching change, but Mercer kept scoring. A walk to Jake Buffone and a walk to Noah Graziano loaded the bases. Shepherd walked to force in a run. Another pitching change brought Will Robbins. Katz walked to force in another run. Stephens then singled through the left side, driving in two more runs before the inning ended on a flyout. The Bears led 10-0.

The Eagles chipped away in the fourth when Jake Chris hit a solo home run to center, his 12th of the season, cutting the deficit to 10-1.

Georgia Southern exploded for six runs in the fifth to make it 10-7. After a leadoff double from Brooks Jordan and a single by Hunter Edwards, Chris singled in Jordan. A walk to Cam Trammell loaded the bases, and Cole White singled to left, scoring two. Bryce Jamie singled up the middle, driving in Trammell. A wild pitch brought home White, and another wild pitch scored Jamie before Mercer finally recorded an out. Reid Fagerstrom replaced Jackson Decker and struck out the final batter to end the inning.

Mercer’s bullpen then took over. Lawson Cole had already thrown two scoreless innings in the second and third. Fagerstrom pitched 1 1/3 scoreless before Ackerman entered. The Bears’ relief corps combined for 6 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on two hits with eight strikeouts.

Mercer added an unearned run in the eighth when a throwing error by third baseman Jack Senese allowed Kolby Kamaka to score.

For Mercer, LaPointe went 2 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs. Shepherd went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. The Bears finished with nine hits.

Georgia Southern had 11 hits. Chris went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. White also drove in two runs. Brady Christman went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. Jax Lewis pitched four innings of relief, allowing one earned run on four hits with four strikeouts. Craig Kalkbrenner struck out four in two scoreless innings.

The Eagles outhit the Bears 11-9 but left 11 runners on base.

The most important stretch of the game came after the Eagles tied a season-high for runs in an inning with seven in the fifth. Mercer’s bullpen, led by Ackerman, did not allow a hit over the final 4 1/3 innings, stranding the tying run at second base in the seventh.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Mercer 8, Georgia Southern 5, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Mercer a 59.10 percent probability to win.