Baseball Splits With Belmont Abbey Saturday

BELMONT, NC. - Coker and Belmont Abbey split on day two, as the Crusaders take the season series over the Cobras. Coker won game one in a one run game, while Belmont Abbey handled game two to take the series. 

BY THE NUMBERS:
G1 - Coker 5, Belmont Abbey 4

G2 - Belmont Abbey 8, Coker 3

Records: Coker 1-2 | Belmont Abbey 2-1

Location: Belmont, N.C. | Abbey Yard

GAME ONE:

TOP PERFORMERS

Hunter Poole - 2-4, 2 RBI
Gabriel Santiago - 2-3, 3R

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Coker and Belmont Abbey raced through the first two innings in Saturday's double header with neither team producing a run. Starting pitcher, Casey Cleghorn, played a huge role in that as he went 4.2 innings on the day, while striking out four. 

The top half of the 3rd it was Coker striking first. After an error and infield single, Hunter Poole delivered for the Cobras. He executed a bunt, and Coker took an early 1 to 0 lead. 

Gabriel Santiago tacked on an additional run for Coker in the top half of the fifth when he scored on a wild pitch. Santiago caused destruction to the Crusaders on the base path in game one, scoring three runs on the day.

Belmont Abbey responded in the bottom half plating two on Cleghorn, ending his day. Coker then turned the ball over to preseason All-SAC relief pitcher Tyler Satterley. He got the Cobras out of the jam with a strikeout to help keep the score knotted at two.

After one batter, Luke Alford gave the Cobras the lead again. The sophomore swatted his first long ball of the year to right field, and Coker led 3 to 2. 

A quick top half got the Cobras back to the plate in the seventh, and they grew their lead once more. Alex Lazar singled to start the inning, and stole second the next batter. Ick Cirino laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring in Lazar just two batters later and Coker had added some insurance. Poole then singled for the second time, bringing home Santiago. 

The Crusaders didn't go away quietly in the bottom half though. After a leadoff walk, Joe Whitaker deposited a home run to cut the Cobra lead down to one. 

Coker then turned the ball over to freshman Kyle Stock to record the final two outs. After two walks, Stock shut the door on the Crusaders comeback with a fly out to end game one in seven innings, evening the series at one. 

Tyler Satterley (1-0) earned the win for Coker, while Stock grabbed the save (1). 

GAME TWO

TOP PERFORMERS:

Alex Lazar - 2-4, 1RBI
Hunter Poole - 1-3, 1R

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Belmont Abbey jumped out to an early lead in game two. The Crusaders blasted two doubles in the first inning to take a 2 to 0 lead. Coker, and starting pitcher Aaron Diaz settled in from there, and over the course of the next two innings the Cobras held Belmont Abbey scoreless.

Coker got on the board in top half of the third thanks to a Luke Alford hit by pitch with bases loaded. The Cobras saw Gabriel Santiago and Ick Cirino both single before getting hit by a pitch in back to back at bats to cut the Crusaders lead in half.

Belmont Abbey responded in the bottom half of the fourth, fifth, and sixth with a multitude of hits. The Crusaders, similar to Friday nights opener, received timely hits to help take a 6 to 1 lead into the seventh. 

In the seventh, Jaylen Mack roped a leadoff double to the warning track, and after a sacrifice bunt, and groundout scored to give Coker their second run of the game. 

Ron Robinson worked a quick bottom of the seventh to get Coker back to the dugout with momentum. Hunter Poole started the eighth off with a single up the middle, and Cameron Ferrell followed with single of his own. After getting the first two batters on, Coker did their damage with two outs. Alex Lazar singled to right field to plate Poole, and cut the lead to 3 at 6 to 3. 

The Crusaders tacked on two in the bottom half of the eighth, holding a demanding 8 to 3 lead, and closed the door on game two in the ninth.

Aaron Diaz (0-1) took the loss in game two, while Ethan Wilson (1-0) earned the win. 

UP NEXT:
Coker returns to action Wednesday when they travel to Mount Olive. First pitch is slated for 3. 

#GoCobras