Coker Baseball Defeats UNC Pembroke in 12-Inning Thriller

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- The Coker College baseball team pulled out a dramatic, 6-5 walk-off victory over UNC Pembroke on Tuesday (Mar. 19).

Larry McCabe delivered a one-out triple in the bottom of the twelfth inning that set the stage for the victory.

Coker fell behind 1-0 in the first inning, and then rebounded to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third. Lake Lybrand and Chase Bruno delivered run-scoring hits, and Nicolas Hertzfeld stole home to help the Cobras take the lead.

Tanner Wofford shut the Braves down for most of the afternoon, entering the seventh inning with just one earned run allowed, and six strikeouts. Wofford started the seventh, but was eventually pulled for Drake Knight after loading the bases. Knight allowed two runs to score, and the Braves knotted the game back up at 3-3.

The Cobras answered again though, this time it was Grant Thompson who acted as the spark, after pinch hitting for RJ Ball. Thompson hit a grounder to first base that went through the UNC Pembroke first baseman's legs, and into right field to start the rally. He'd later score on an RBI double by Reilly Hall to give the Cobras a 5-3 lead.

The lead remained 5-3 until the bottom of the ninth when the Braves tied the game on a two-out, two-strike, two-run homerun to send the game to extra innings.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the 12th inning when McCabe came through with the big one-out triple to right field. Hall followed with a grounder to the third baseman who tried to throw McCabe out at the plate, but his throw was late, and Coker walked off with the victory.

Jake Moore picked up the victory for Coker, pitching one scoreless inning of relief in the top of the 12th inning.

The Cobras will be back in action on Friday when they host Catawba for the start of a three-game South Atlantic Conference series. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

McDonald's Player of the Game: Tanner Wofford