HARTSVILLE, SC – Coker didn’t have the pitching to slow Belmont Abbey Saturday afternoon, falling 13-3 and 20-13 in a baseball double-header sweep. The Cobras have allowed 55 runs in their last three CVAC games and drop to 25-19 overall and 13-10 in the CVAC, while BAC moves to 28-26, 9-14 in the conference.
Freshmen Brad Boob and Nick Green both had complete game shutouts their last CVAC starts but today they both struggled.
Belmont Abbey scored three in the first and another in the second inning on the strength of a pair of homers by Ian Gibson and Robert Yero. The Cobras put one up in the second and one in the fourth to pull within two runs, but that would be as close as they’d get. BAC scored two in the sixth, four in the eighth and three in the ninth to run away with the victory.
In game two, Coker jumped ahead 5-1 with a big first inning couldn’t hold a lead in the seven-inning game. The Crusaders tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the fourth but CC scored five in the bottom of the inning for a 10-5 advantage.
The Abbey added two runs in the fifth to get back in the game but again Coker responded with a three-run burst in it’s half of the inning to make it 13-7. The bullpen couldn’t preserve the lead, however, as BAC scored four in the sixth and bombed Coker with nine runs in the seventh for the 20-13 scoreline.
Boob pitched seven and two-thirds innings in game one with 10 hits and nine earned runs allowed in defeat. In game two, Green lasted four and two-thirds innings, allowing 11 hits and seven earned runs.
T.J. Dawson garnered three hits, three RBI and a run scored on the day, while Nic Fletcher had four hits, four runs scored and one RBI. Ben Kershner went 2-7 on the day with a homerun, two RBI and three runs scored.
For the Crusaders, Alex Udwari destroyed the Coker pitching, going 10-10 with eight runs scored and three RBI. Ian Gibson drove in six runs on the day and Chris Brake drove in five.
Coker will attempt to salvage the series on Sunday, April 17, in game three, starting at 1:00 PM.