Cobras Use Late Game Heroics to Sweep Trojans

MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. - The Coker College softball team kicked off the season with of Mount Olive on Sunday (Feb. 3). The Cobras took game one 2-1 in eight innings and won the second game of the day 7-1.

Game one would turn out to be a pitcher's duel with the Trojans taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the Cobras down by one heading into the seventh, Ashley Meckley led off the inning with a single and a stolen base. With one out and Meckley on second, Lilli Otten came through with a clutch double to drive in Meckley and tie the game at one. Maria Williamson would move Otten to third with a one-out infield single but the Cobras left both runners on base. Isabelle Mullen came on to pitch the bottom of the seventh after six solid innings and only three hits given up by Taylor Forehand. After giving up a leadoff single, Mullen would shut the Trojans down and send the game into extra innings. Katelyn Chambers led off the eighth with a walk and after advancing all the way to third with two outs, Meckley came up with a big infield single to drive in Chambers. In the bottom of the eighth Mullen gave up a leadoff single but once again she locked it and finished off the Trojans for the win in her first appearance as a Cobra.

Meckley led the way in game one with a pair of hits, while Otten, Williamson, Allyson High, and Anna Gluhosky each had one hit. Mullen was credited with the win after tossing two innings of relief and giving up a pair of hits while striking a pair of batters.

Game two began just as the first did with both pitchers battling it out until Mount Olive took the lead in the sixth inning but once again the Cobras fought back in the seventh. Hannah Goodman drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly before the Alex Alverson and Madison King scored on a fielding error. Coker would cross the plate once again after yet another error. Lauren DeWitt would push the Coker lead to five with a two RBI double and Makayla Shore would drive in another to seal the win.

Shore led the Cobras in game two with a pair of hits, while Alverson, Chambers, DeWitt, High, Otten, and Gluhosky all recording one hit. Christine Carver started the game, tossing four solid innings with four strikeouts before giving way to Nikki Linthicum. Linthicum would pick up the win after throwing a pair of innings and Mullen came in again to pitch the last inning.

The Cobras will be back in action at home on Saturday (Feb. 9) when they welcome Erskine to Hartsville for a non-conference double-header starting at 1:00 PM.