Cobras Launch Six Homers, Split Doubleheader With Eagles

JEFFERSON CITY, TENN. - The Coker University baseball team split its South Atlantic Conference doubleheader against the Carson-Newman Eagles on Saturday (Mar. 19). The Cobras took game one by a score of 12-7, then dropped game two by an 8-3 margin.

In game one, the Cobras jumped out to an early lead in the second inning as Jimmy Rosengrant and Tripp Kimmel had back-to-back two out hits and scored on Andrew Scudder's RBI single to make it 2-0. The Eagles responded with three runs in the bottom of the second, but Coker retook the lead behind a two-run home run from Brady Jeffcoat and a solo shot off the bat of Bryan Castillo to run the score to 5-3 in favor of the Cobras through three innings.

Carson-Newman would not go away however, as they struck for four more runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 7-5 in their favor. The Cobras utilized the long ball again as Reilly Hall launched a solo homer to center field and Kody Hanna drove in three with one swing of the bat as he clobbered a pitch over the fence to make the score 9-7 Coker. The Cobras were not done as Hall homered again in the eighth inning, this time to the opposite field down the left field line to make it 10-7. Brady Jeffcoat's RBI single and Hall's bases-loaded RBI walk in the ninth put the finishing touches on the victory in game one, as the Cobras took it by the 12-7 final.

Hall, Jeffcoat, and Hanna led the way as they all left the yard and recorded three RBI. Scudder drove in two runs and Castillo added one on his solo homer. 

The Coker bullpen was phenomenal in relief as Jonathan Ford pitched a perfect fifth inning to earn his second win of the season. Ethan Graham also threw a scoreless inning in relief and freshman Cooper Thomas threw three scoreless, striking out five Eagles batters en route to his second save of the season.

In game two of the doubleheader, Carson-Newman took the 2-0 lead right out of the gate in the bottom of the first inning. The Cobras struck back for one in the top of the second behind a Kody Hanna lead-off double, a Brady Jeffcoat sacrifice bunt, and a Bryan Castillo sacrifice fly to make the score 2-1. 

That is where the score held until the fourth inning, when Cory Listing led off with a single and advanced all the way to third base on an error by the Eagles right fielder. Kody Hanna spun on the very first pitch he saw and demolished a ball that disappeared over the fence and into the Jefferson City afternoon sky to give Coker the 3-2 lead. The Cobras were unable to hold onto the lead however, as Carson-Newman put up six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the victory 8-3.

Hanna led the offensive effort in game two, as he recorded the double and home run as well as driving in two and scoring the other Cobra run. 

The Cobras will wrap up the weekend series at Carson-Newman tomorrow (Mar. 20). First pitch is scheduled for noon, with live video and statistics available at www.cokercobras.com.