By: Jake Miller
HARTSVILLE, S.C.- Coker baseball dropped its South Atlantic Conference doubleheader and ultimately the series 2-1, falling in game one 5-4 and game two 11-7.
Game one saw Coker lead 4-0 for the first half of the game, scoring three times in the fifth on an RBI single from Colton Henthorne and a two-run home run from Will Winslow. Mars Hill would respond with three in the top of the sixth and a deciding solo home run in the eighth off of Anthony Scaccia (4-3). AJ Strnad paced the offense in game one going 3-5 with a home run and two runs scored. Jack Leech and Miguel Frias went 2-4, Frias knocked a double in the loss. Will Sutton started the ball game on the bump, not allowing a run through five innings. The southpaw surrendered two hits, walked three and punched out two.
Game two saw the Cobras fall 11-7 despite a valiant comeback effort. The Lions and Cobras traded blows all the way up until the last out, the Cobras leaving two runners on in the seventh inning after scoring twice. The Cobras trailed 6-3 after two and a half, before a Clint Allen two-RBI single cut the lead to 6-5, the closest Coker would get in the ball game. Bryson Conner notched a 3-4 game while Strnad, Winslow and Thomas Lopez each collected two hits. Henthorne, Leech, Frias and Allen each had one hit in the loss. Darius Coldiron (4-2) took the loss, tossing two innings allowing six earned runs on seven hits while walking three and striking out two. Ryan Milner and Jake Moore also made relief appearances in the loss.
The Cobras (24-16, 9-9 SAC) will come back on Friday (April 15) when they host Lincoln Memorial for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 3:00 p.m. at Tom J. New Field. Tickets for the game are $5 for adults, $3 for students and free to all Coker faculty, staff and students.
McDonald's Player of the Game- AJ Strnad