USC Upstate took an early 1-0 lead in the first when Brad Wingo scored on a Kyle Bowley base hit to center. The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Spartans until the bottom half of the fourth when Coker scored three runs.
Brantley Bell led of the inning for the Cobras with a double to left center, followed by an RBI double from Nic Fletcher. Next up was Ryan Schaeffer, who grounded into a fielder’s choice, that caused Fletcher to be tagged out in a run down between third and home, but Schaeffer was able to advance to second on the play. Ben Davidson came to the plate next for the Cobras and he sent the first pitch he saw soaring over the left field fence for a two-run homer, giving Coker a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans would not be held down for long as they scored four runs in the top on the sixth off an RBI double from Bowley and a two-run homer from Andrew Runion gave the Spartans the lead. USC Upstate would added another run the before the end of the inning, along with two in the seventh, another two in the eighth and another three runs in the ninth, to cruise to a 12-6 victory.
Coker’s Jayson Clarke (3-4) took the loss after coming on in relief, giving up six runs, on six hits, with a strike out and a walk in one inning worth of work.
USC Upstate’s Dennis McCraney (2-0) earned the win throwing six innings, allowing three runs on four hits, with two strikeouts.
Leading the Coker offense was Fletcher going 2-for-5 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored, while Davidson finished 1-for-4 with a homer run, two RBIs and a run scored.
For the Spartans, Bret Hansen was 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and a two runs scored, while Runion was 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Coker’s takes the field for their third game in as many days, as they host