PEMBROKE, N.C.- The Coker College baseball team fell 15-9 to UNC Pembroke in a non-conference midweek game on Wednesday, April 18. Brooks Estrada provided a 4-for-5 day at the plate aided by a two-run home run and a walk, alongside three other Cobras with a multi-hit game.
Larry McCabe gave the Cobras a 2-0 lead in the opening frame with his fourth home run of the season. Leadoff man Reilly Hall roped a double to open the inning. With one away, McCabe stepped in and put Coker on top with the two-run blast to right field.
UNC Pembroke responded in the bottom of the first with six runs and two in the second to take an 8-2 lead.
Charlie Burguieres singled to open the fourth inning for Coker followed by Tanner Crosby sending Burguieres to third on a one-out base hit to left. Hall then lifted a sacrifice fly into left and the Cobras snagged a run back in the top of the fourth to make it 8-3.
After the Braves grew their lead to 10-3 in the bottom of the fourth, Brooks Estrada brought the Cobras back to within five with a two-run shot to dead center. McCabe drew his second walk of the game to lead off the inning before Estrada cranked his fourth home run on the year. Next, Thomas Lopez reached on a double to the corner down the left field line and scored on Burguieres' third base hit on the night to get Coker within 10-6. Coker would threaten with the bases loaded in the inning after back-to-back walks were issued to Ryan Caldwell and Crosby, but a strikeout and flyout ended the inning.
The Navy and Gold continued to fight back in the top of the sixth when McCabe reached on his second base hit, beating out an infield single in no-man's land between the mound and first. McCabe reached second on the play from a Braves throwing error. Next, Estrada recorded his fourth hit on the night, driving in McCabe on a single back up the middle to bring Coker within three, 10-7.
Coker wouldn't quit putting up a fight, tallying another run in the seventh. Crosby worked a leadoff walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Bryson Conner added to the hit parade, escaping from a hitless game, scoring Crosby on a single up the middle to make it a 10-8 contest going to the bottom of the seventh.
The Braves, however, returned the favor scoring twice more in the seventh and three in the eighth to extend the lead back out to seven, 15-8.
With two outs in the ninth, the Navy and Gold collected one more run for the game. Robert Wilkerson drew the two-out walk and stole second before Bryson Conner too was walked. Next McCabe racked his third hit on the evening with a seeing-eye single to right to score Wilkerson to put the score at 15-9.
Four Cobras had a multi-hit game, led by Brooks Estrada who reached all five times with a home run, three singles and a walk. Larry McCabe was 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, three runs scored, three driven in and walked twice. Charlie Burguieres went 3-for-5 with a run scored and RBI and Thomas Lopez was 2-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored.
Coker will travel to North Carolina to face South Atlantic Conference opponent Lenoir-Rhyne in a Friday-Saturday (April 20-21) series against the Bears.