HARTSVILLE, S.C.- The Coker College baseball team fell 12-6 to the visiting St. Andrews University Knights in a midweek non-conference matchup on Tuesday, April 10.
Coker connected for five extra base hits on the afternoon, three triples and two doubles, scoring six runs, but dropped the contest 12-6 to the St. Andrews University Knights.
St. Andrews jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, but Coker would take the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Robert Wilkerson led off the charge with a single up the middle. Reilly Hall also singled, but Wilkerson was struck by the ball in the base path on his way to second for the first out. After Hall stole second, Bryson Conner roped a double down the left field line to tie the game 1-1. The Knights attempted to pick off Conner at second, but the throw was errant moving him to third. Conner then scored on the ensuing wild pitch to take the 2-1 lead.
Trouble found the Cobras in the fourth as the Knights plated four runs in the top of the fourth inning to lead 5-2.
Coker would go on to score two runs in the bottom of the fifth that started with a walk issued to Hall. With one out, Connor Cleary struck a line drive into the gap in left center which would've put runners on the corners, but a throwing error by the St. Andrews left fielder found its way into the Knights' dugout, allowing Hall to score and put Cleary on third. Cleary then scored on another St. Andrews wild pitch to get within a run, 5-4.
The Knights scored two more runs in the sixth and five in the eighth to lead Coker 12-4 heading into the final frame.
The Navy and Gold scored two runs in the ninth with back to back one-out triples from Cleary and Brooks Estrada. With two outs, Thomas Lopez shot a run-scoring single into left, plating the sixth Cobra run on the day.
Thomas Lopez's bat continues to stay hot, collecting a three-hit day (3-for-5) with a triple and a run driven in. Connor Cleary also had a multi-hit game (2-for-4) with a triple, two runs scored and a walk.
Coker will be back in action hosting a three-game South Atlantic Conference series with the Tusculum Pioneers on Friday and Saturday, April 13-14.
McDonalds Player of the Game-
Thomas Lopez | 3-for-5 | 3B | RBI