Hartsville, S.C. – The Coker Baseball Team earned a non-conference win over Paine College on Tuesday afternoon, as the Cobras defeated the Lions 6-2 at Tom J. New Field. The win brings the Cobras to 15-26 on the year.

Things were deadlocked at 0-0 through the first four innings, until Paine got on the board with a run in the fourth, thanks to an RBI single from Brandon Hall. Coker answered quickly with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, with the help of RBIs from Trey Lynch (Florence, SC), Julio Gomez (Santa Fe, NM) and Karl Ankersen (Mt. Pleasant, SC).

The Cobras were able to pad their lead with runs in the fifth and sixth innings, before Paine answered with a run in the top of the eighth. Coker sealed their victory with a final run in the eighth inning, giving them a 6-2 win.

Jesse Hatchell (Florence, SC) (5-5) earned the win, going five innings, allowing just one run on three hits, with six strike outs. Mikael Owens (Columbia, SC) (2) earned the save tossing a flawless ninth inning.

Wendell Celestine took the loss for Paine, allowing five runs eight hits with three strike outs in six innings.

Gomez was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored to lead the Cobras, while Lynch was 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Kyle Walker (Centralia, IL) was 1-for-4 with a triple and a run scored and Ankersen was 2-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored.

James Dudley and Hall each picked up a hit and an RBI for the Lions, while Quinton Heath was the only Paine player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4.

Coker returns to the field on Wednesday, as they travel to UNC-Pembroke for a 5:00 p.m. game.