Late Home Run Downs Coker Friday Night

HARTSVILLE, SC. - Lenoir-Rhyne hit a home run with two outs in the ninth to down Coker Friday night in game one of three. The Cobras pounded out nine hits, as their upset bid came up just short. 

BY THE NUMBERS:
Score: Lenoir-Rhyne 5, Coker 4
Records: Coker 12-5 (2-1) | Lenoir-Rhyne 13-2 (3-1)
Location: Hartsville, SC. | Tom J. New Field 

TOP PERFORMERS:
Jaylen Mack: 3-4, 1RBI, 1R
Casey Cleghorn: 9.0 IP, 7SO
Luke Peterson: 2-3, 1 SAC

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Coker put pressure on the nationally ranked Bears early Friday night. Hunter Poole reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the first, and then moved to second on a passed ball. A batter later, Gabriel Santiago layed down a sacrifice bunt, in which the Lenoir-Rhyne pitcher threw into right field, scoring Poole. 

Casey Cleghorn got the ball for the Cobras Friday night, and kept the Bears off balance all night long, working out of numerous jams. The sophomore pitched all nine innings, striking out seven.

After the two teams traded runs early, Coker and Lenoir-Rhyne were tied at two after five innings. In the bottom of the sixth Coker struck again. Jaylen Mack singled to start the inning for the Cobras, and Alex Lazar reached on an error. The Cobras moved those two runners over with a bunt, and Luke Alford did his job bringing in Mack with a great piece of hitting. The Cobras tacked on one more a batter later when a dropped third strike got away from the catcher. 

Cleghorn allowed one in the top of the seventh, helping Coker hold onto a one run lead going into the ninth after a quick eighth inning. In the ninth, Cleghorn retired the first batter of the inning by way of a strikeout. After walking the next batter, Cleghorn struck out the third batter of the inning, leaving the Cobras one out away from a nationally ranked win. Lenoir-Rhyne's Sal Carricato had other plans however. The designated hitter blasted a two run home run to take the lead in the ninth. Coker went one-two-three in the ninth, and Lenoir-Rhyne slipped away with game one. 

UP NEXT:
Coker and Lenoir-Rhyne finish their series Saturday with game one starting at 12PM.