ORANGEBURG, S.C.- The Coker softball team moved to 12-0 on the season after taking two games from Claflin University Tuesday (Feb. 20) afternoon.The Cobras won 3-0 and 4-3, respectively, against the Panthers.
Game One
Christine Carver (6-0) was the star of the show in game one against Claflin, pitching a perfect game. In her seven-inning complete game outing, she struck out 11 of the 21 batters she faced. Out of 77 pitches, 63 were strikes in her dominating performance.
The scoring started in the fifth inning for the Navy and Gold. With the bases loaded, Cacey Simmons singled, knocking in Alex Alverson for the first run. Two runs were added in the top of the seventh to extend the lead. Lilli Otten walked to open the inning. Kelsi Bachmann reached on a fielding error, sending Courtney Boan, who returned to the lineup for Otten, running to third. Bachmann stole second to have two runners in scoring position. Simmons sent a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Boan to come home and Bachmann went to third. Two batters later, Hannah Price singled to the shortstop, scoring the speedy Bachmann for the third and final run of the game.
Game Two
The later game was a tighter contest. Claflin garnered a run in the bottom of the first on a RBI single to put the Cobras down to start the contest. Coker retaliated the top of the second on a two RBI double from Diane Servideo, which brought Anna Gluhosky and Breana Ard across home plate. Gluhosky was not satisfied with the score, so as the first batter in the fourth inning, she hammered a ball over the fence to bring the score to 3-1. In the fifth, Maria Williamson started off the inning with a single, sending Morgan Richardson into run for her. Price doubled to right center field for a RBI, as Richardson hustled to score. The Panthers did not lay down. In the bottom half of the inning, with the bases loaded, a RBI single scored one runner and a fielder's choice to add another run, bringing the score to 4-3 in the Navy and Gold favor. This proved to be the final score with Carver returning in relief to shut down the Claflin offense.
Nikki Linthicum earned the victory with 4.1 innings pitched, giving up three earned runs, four hits, two walks, and struck out five. Carver collected the save with 2.2 innings pitched, allowing only one hit and striking out two.
The Navy and Gold return to action as the host of the Coker Spring Tournament on Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 24-25) at Byerly Park in Hartsville. Their first game is against Lees-McRae College at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday (Feb. 24).