CARY, N.C. – The 2013 Coker baseball season came to an end on Tuesday (May 28), as the No. 7 Grand Canyon Antelopes defeated the No. 3 Cobras, 10-2, eliminating them from the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship. With the loss the Cobras close out the season with a 38-16 record, the third best season in Coker history.
Coker struggled to get their offense going against the 'Lopes, scoring just two runs on five hits, while Grand Canyon pounded out 10 runs on 13 hits against the Cobra pitching staff.
After falling behind 4-0 through three and a half innings, the Cobras cut the Grand Canyon lead in half, 4-2, with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Coker's first run came on a sacrifice fly by Fico Kondla, while an RBI triple by Ernie Kirkwood drove in the second.
The 'Lopes tacked on three more runs in the top of the fifth to take the 7-2 lead. Zach Loraine shut down the Grand Canyon offense over the next 4.1 innings, but the 'Lopes were able to push across the final three runs of the game in the top of the ninth for a 10-2 victory.
Coker's starter Tyler Witzel (7-6) took the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits with three strikeouts in four innings on the hill.
At the plate, Kirkwood went 1-for-2 with a triple and an RBI. Kondla drove in Coker's other run, while Justin Blechle, Keith Wolf, Brinley Griffin and T.J. Giczkowski each picked up a hit.
The Cobras finish the season as the 2013 NCAA Southeast Region Champion, the 2013 Conference Carolinas Tournament Champion and as the No. 3 team in nation. This was also the first time Coker had advanced to the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship.
