Weatherford and Burr Lead Coker to Sweep of Belmont Abbey

HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Seniors Sydney Weatherford and Stacy Burr led the Coker Cobras softball team to a two-game sweep of the Crusaders of Belmont Abbey on Friday (Feb. 28) afternoon. The Cobras won game one 16-1 in five innings and then won game two 6-5. With the wins Coker improves to 7-6 overall.

Weatherford was the offensive leader in game one as she belted a three-run homer and drove in two runs on a double for five RBIs. Then in game two Burr was the hero of the game as she crushed a walk-off home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the seventh to give the Cobras the 6-5 victory.

Lauren Phillips (3-4) earned the win in game one. She went three innings, allowing no runs and no hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Tabitha Allen (2-2) picked up the win in game two. She threw 3.2 innings, allowing just three hits and no runs with four strikeouts.

In the first game of the day the Cobras poured on the runs by scoring five runs in the first, seven in the third and another four in the fourth.  Weatherford was the leading hitter going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, five RBIs and two runs scored. Burr, Tayler Barcomb and Ashlee Allen drove in two runs each, while Carley Bailey drove in three runs. Katelyn Szupello and Megan Strickland each went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Szupello also added an RBI.

The second game of the day looked as if it might be a victory for Belmont Abbey as the Crusaders took a 5-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Coker answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning to make it a 5-2 game. The score remained unchanged until the bottom of the sixth when Szupello laced a two out, two-run triple into left field and then scored on an error to tie the game at five. Then in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, Burr sent a towering home run deep into left field to give the Cobras a 6-5 walk-off victory.

Burr, Weatherford and Szupello each finished game two 2-for-3. Burr and Weatherford each drove in and scored a run, while Szupello drove in two runs and scored a run.

The Cobras will be back in action on Saturday (Mar. 8) in a non-conference double-header at Barton College. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. 

McDonald's Player of the Game – Stacy Burr and Sydney Weatherford