MACON, Ga. (Interstat) — Logan Shepherd drove in three runs with a pair of doubles and a committee of five Mercer pitchers combined for a one-hit shutout over the final six innings as the Bears blanked Florida A&M 7-0 in non-conference baseball Tuesday night at OrthoGeorgia Park.

The game was a pitcher’s duel through five innings before Mercer broke it open with a four-run sixth, capitalizing on control issues by the Rattlers’ bullpen.

Florida A&M starter Karson Lindsey was sharp early, holding the Bears hitless over 3 2/3 innings. He allowed one earned run, walking two and striking out one before exiting with two outs in the fourth. Mercer scratched across a single run in the third off Lindsey when Carter Rowland was hit by a pitch, advanced on a single and a wild pitch, and scored on a groundout by Ellis Katz.

The Rattlers threatened in the fifth, putting runners on second and third with one out following a single by Alex Perez and a two-base throwing error by Mercer third baseman Brant Baughcum. However, Mercer reliever Ismael Borrero escaped the jam by getting a flyout to left-center, preserving a 1-0 lead.

Borrero earned the win with three dominant innings of relief, allowing two hits and striking out six. He was the first piece of a nearly flawless bullpen effort. Aidan Hayse, Riley Cruce and Caleb Hughes followed, each throwing two scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Hayse struck out four, Hughes fanned three and Cruce added two strikeouts. The quartet combined for 15 strikeouts.

The game’s turning point came in the bottom of the sixth. Facing Florida A&M reliever Ryan Young, Mercer loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and a hit batter. After a strikeout, Rowland lifted a sacrifice fly to center to make it 2-0. Shepherd then delivered the decisive blow, lacing a two-run double into the left-center gap to clear the bases and extend the lead to 5-0.

Shepherd, who finished 3 for 4, added an RBI double in the eighth inning to score Rowland, who had been hit by a pitch. Mercer’s final run came in the seventh on a double steal, with Baughcum swiping home.

Florida A&M managed only two singles in the game, one by Jalen Crews in the fourth and one by Perez in the fifth. The Rattlers struck out 16 times as a team and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position, stranding five.

With the loss, Florida A&M falls to 1-6 overall. Mercer improves to 7-1, continuing its strong early-season form.

The two teams are scheduled to conclude their brief two-game series Wednesday afternoon.