By: Jake Miller
HARTSVILLE, S.C.- Coker baseball fell in its series finale with Anderson in a hard fought 4-3 game on Sunday (Apr. 2).
Anderson struck in the top of the first, before padding their lead to 2-0 in the top of the third. Coker responded in the bottom of the third with an RBI single from AJ Strnad that scored Clint Allen. The bats were silent until the sixth when the Trojans scraped across another run in their half of the inning. Bryson Conner got the inning started with a one-out single, before stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error by the Anderson catcher. Anderson was able to record the second out and leave Conner at third, before the junior would score on a wild pitch. Tanner Crosby was able to keep the inning alive with a double to left center, but unfortunately he was stranded there.
Neither team plated a run in the seventh, and Griffin Hollifield was able to hold down the Anderson bats in the top of the eighth. After Anderson's starter was lifted for a reliever, Conner got the rally going with a leadoff walk. Jon Koski then chopped a ball to the right side of the infield and Conner advanced to second on the out at first. That gave Crosby another chance for a clutch hit. The sophomore grinded out a tough at-bat before lashing a single to right field to send Conner around to score and tie the game at three apiece.
Anderson was able to plate a two-out run in the ninth off of Hollifield (2-1), and Coker went down quietly in the ninth. The Trojans took the decisive game three and the series two games to one.
Strnad shined offensively in the effort, going 3-5 with a double. Crosby also went 2-4 with a double on the day, while Darius Coldiron and Conner each added one hit. Will Sutton got the start and the no-decision for the Navy and Gold, going 5.1 strong innings. The southpaw gave up three earned runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out two. Hollifield fired 3.2 relief innings allowing one earned run on five hits while recording one strikeout.
The Cobras take the field again on Tuesday (Apr. 4) when they travel to North Greenville for a 3:00 pm non-conference contest.
McDonald's Player of the Game- AJ Strnad
