| Title: | Assistant Coach |
| Email: | samuel.tuten@coker.edu |
Lex Tuten joined the Coker University baseball staff in August 2022 and will be returning for his second year as a Graduate Assistant in the fall of 2023.
In Tuten’s first season on the Cobras staff, the 2023 squad finished with a record of 19-30 and an 8-16 mark in South Atlantic Conference play. The 19 wins mark a 6-win improvement from 2022 and the team's highest win total since the 2017 season. This includes wins over regionally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University and 2023 SAC champion Newberry College.
In Tuten's first season as hitting coach, the Cobras improved in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.269), on-base percentage (.380), slugging percentage (.374), hits (425), home runs (26), runs (305), RBIs (266), stolen bases (119), walks (195), hit-by-pitches (99), and runs per game (6.22). Under Tuten’s guidance, Junior Kody Hanna earned Second Team All-Conference for the South Atlantic Conference. Hanna was also awarded SAC Player of the Week along with NCBWA Regional Player of the Week for the week of March 28, 2023.
The Cobras 2023 season also brought great academic success. The team posted a GPA of 3.35 for the 2022-2023 academic year. Five team members were named to the 2023 Academic All-District Baseball Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators. Seniors Zack Wall, Ethan Graham, and Lawson Otte were named, while sophomores Ashby Vining and Jacob Yarberry earned the academic honor.
Tuten comes to Coker after coaching in the Coastal Plain League, serving as the hitting coach for the Florence Flamingos during the summer of 2022. During the fall, he coached the EvoShield Canes 16U South team.
He played four years of Division II baseball at North Greenville University, serving as a team captain for two years. He played his final collegiate season for Francis Marion University while playing for the Florence Redwolves for two seasons.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from North Greenville University and is pursuing a Master of Science in Sports Administration at Coker.