HARTSVILLE, S.C.- The Coker College baseball team is set and prepared for another four-game home slate, this time with the visiting Urbana University Blue Knights. The action will begin on Friday (Feb. 9) afternoon and continue into Saturday (Feb. 10) at Tom J. New Field at Dave Schmotzer Stadium, with doubleheaders set for a 12:00 p.m. noon start, with game two beginning approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Only live-stats will be available for this weekend's series, which can be found by visiting www.cokercobras.com.
The Coker Cobras (1-1) picked up their first victory of the season last weekend (Feb. 2) in their home opener against the Chowan University Hawks. Game one of the doubleheader featured a gem from junior, Michael DeVecchio. In his first game as a Cobra, DeVecchio whirled a complete-game, seven-inning shutout to record his first win on the season. The left-handed pitcher faced 25 Hawks on the afternoon, four over the minimum, on 7.0 innings of work, relenting just four hits, two walks, and struck out four.
The Navy and Gold struck for two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a Jon Koski groundout and Thomas Lopez single. Reilly Hall opened up the frame with a leadoff single to right and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Bryson Conner followed with a base hit of his own to left, putting the runners on the corners with no outs for Koski. Koski grounded out to second, but would score Hall on the play to give Coker a 1-0 advantage. One batter later, Lopez ripped an RBI single of his own to left, scoring Conner from second to put the Cobras up 2-0.
Brooks Estrada helped secure an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth giving Coker a 3-0 lead over Chowan. With one out Ball reached on a walk and had KJ Curry pinch run for him. After a Hawks pitching change, Larry McCabe also drew a walk putting runners on first and second for Estrada. The Cobras' right fielder hit a flare into no-man's land in shallow right field, which allowed Curry to scurry home from second for the third run on the afternoon.
The Navy and Gold will square off with the Urbana Blue Knights on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 9 & 10) at Tom J. New Field at Dave Schmotzer Stadium in doubleheaders slated for 12:00 p.m. starts on both days, with game two following approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one. Live-stats for the games can be found by visiting www.cokercobras.com.
Tickets for the baseball games are available at the gate, $5 for adults, $3 for students and free to all Coker faculty, staff, and students.
