HARTSVILLE, S.C.- The Coker College softball team squared off against South Atlantic Conference foe, the Eagles of Carson-Newman, on Friday, April 6, afternoon at Saleeby-Stokes Field. The Cobras downed the Eagles in both games 5-2 and 8-0 (5).
Game One
The majority of Coker's five runs in game one came in the first inning. Hannah Goodman stepped up to the plate with the bases full, thanks to an Anna Gluhosky single, Maria Williamson walk, and Hannah Price reaching on an error. Goodman reached first on a throwing error by the shortstop, allowing Williamson and Gluhosky to score. Goodman then stole second and Mindy North walked. With the bases loaded for the second time, Brianna Strickland drew a walk, plating Goodman.
Gluhosky started off the second inning with a ball to the head, sending her to first. Madison King laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move her to second. Williamson singled to right center, scoring the speedy Gluhosky.
The lone runs on the afternoon for Carson-Newman occured in the top of the fourth inning on a two-run home run down the left field line.
Coker added an insurance run in the sixth to clinch the victory. Strickland led off the inning with a single to first base. Courtney Boan put down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, allowing Strickland to advance. Gluhosky brought her home on a single up the middle and advanced to second on the throw.
Three Cobra pitchers got in on the action. Nikki Linthicum (6-1, 4.77 ERA) pitched four innings, allowing the two runs on four hits. Christine Carver came in relief for 2.1 inning, giving up only one hit and three walks, while striking out two. Taylor Forehand closed the game out with two swinging strikeouts for her third save of the season. All eight of Forehand's pitches were strikes.
Game Two
Coker run-ruled the Eagles in five innings 8-0 with seven runs scoring in the fifth.
Gluhosky led off the Cobra half of the first inning with a single up the middle. North sacrifice bunted her to second. Williamson and Price drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. Makayla Shore made it count with a RBI to left field, bringing Gluhosky home.
North singled to the shortstop to start off the seven-run fifth inning. Williamson reached on a fielder's choice, moving North to second. Rebekah Addison came in to pinch run at first for Williamson. Price laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing Addison and North to second and third, respectively. Shore cleared the bases with a double to left center to make the score 3-0. Allyson High pinch hit and singled to right field to put runners on the corners. Strickland earned her second RBI of the day with a single down the right field line to plate Shore. With the bases loaded after Morgan Richardson pinch hit and reached on an error by the shortstop, Goodman singled up the middle for two RBIs that brought Strickland and Otten (re-entering for High) home. Williamson came up to bat with the bases juiced after two fielder's choices and a runner being thrown out at home. She singled to center field for the game-ending runs to score in Gluhosky and Katelyn Chambers (Goodman's pinch runner).
Forehand (6-4, 2.65 ERA) pitched an outstanding game. She allowed just one hit in the five inning contest with one walk and five strikeouts.
The Navy and Gold will travel to Newberry on Wednesday, April 11, for a SAC midweek series. First pitch against the Wolves is scheduled for a 2:00 start time.
McDonald's Player of the Game- Taylor Forehand