NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 29, 2010) - The ETSU baseball team stranded 11 runners as they fell 3-1 in a hard fought semifinal contest against second seeded Mercer Saturday afternoon at Dugan Field on the campus of Lipscomb in Nashville, Tenn.

The loss ends the best season for the Bucs (32-278 15-12 A-Sun) under head coach Tony Skole as he finished with a career-best 32 wins on the season.

Starter Bo Burton (Kingsport, Tenn.) was impressive for ETSU on the mound going 7.0 innings on short rest limiting the Bears to three runs (two earned) on five hits.

The junior was tabbed with the loss despite the good start, as Mercer starter Brandon Love was equally as impressive holding the Bucs to just one unearned run on five hits in 6.2 innings of work.

Chas Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Kerry Doane (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) had two hits apiece for the Buccaneers in the game.

The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third after RBI singles by Billy Burns and Tyler McCarty.

The Bucs threatened in the top of the third as they loaded the bases with two out, but Love settled down and got Bo Reeder (Cookeville, Tenn.) to fly out to end the inning.

ETSU finally go on the board in the fifth cutting the lead to 2-1 as Byrne came in to score from third on an error by Mercer third baseman Jacob Tanis.

In the top of the eighth, the Buccaneers got a leadoff double from Doane, but he would end up stranded at third after Mercer reliever David Teasley got two ETSU batters to foul out to end the inning.

Tanis gave Mercer an insurance run in the eighth as he crushed his 21^st home run of the season over the left field to give MU a 3-1 advantage.

Teasley went on to get three straight outs in the ninth to end the game and pick up his fifth save of the season.

For more information on ETSU baseball and all other Buccaneer athletic news please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.

#2 Mercer 3, #3 ETSU 1 (May 29, 2010 at Nashville, Tenn.)
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ETSU............ 000  010  000   -  1      6      1       (32-28, 15-12 A-Sun)

MU................. 002  000  01x    -  3      6      2       (36-22, 16-11 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Bo Burton; Chas Byrne (8)

MU - Brandon Love; David Teasley (7)

Win - Brandon Love (8-3) Loss - Bo Burton (9-6) Save - David Teasley (5)        

HR - MU - Jacob Tanis (21)