Baseball Belts 10 Home Runs in Saturday Sweep of UVA Wise

WISE, Va. - The Coker University baseball team swept UVA Wise in today's doubleheader action by scores of 18-1 (5 innings) and 11-5 in game two on Saturday (Apr. 3). 

Game One 

Cam Murray's lead off single to center would get the offense started for Coker. Murray would advance to second from Phill Griffors single through the left side. The next at-bat, Reilly Hall would smoke a ball over the right field wall, scoring Murray and Griffor to put Coker up 3-0 in the first. 

Drew Klaserner would follow up Hall's homer with one of his own, sending a solo bomb over the right field wall making it 4-0 with no outs. 

The Cobra offense would continue to dominate in the second. Klaserner's double down the left field line scored Griffor and Murray to extend the Coker lead to 6-0. Kody Hanna's RBI ground out would bring home Hall to make it 7-0. 

In the fourth, Murray's walk would be brought home when Phill Griffor would send a two-run moonshot over the left-field wall (9-0). Hall would follow up with a solo bomb over the right field wall, putting Coker up 10-0 in the fourth with no outs. Kody Hanna's triple down the right would score Klaserner, extending the lead to 11-0. Jackson Williams sacrifice fly to right would plate Hanna to give Coker the 12-0 lead headed into the bottom of the fourth. 

UVA Wise would score their lone run of the game in the bottom of the fourth.

Coker would score six runs in the fifth, first from Phill Griffor's three-run rocket over the left field wall, scoring Murray and Lake Lybrand (15-1). Williams would send a two-run bomb over the center field wall, scoring Klaserner (17-1). Kris Blanco would get in on the slugfest, sending a solo shot over the left field wall, bringing the final score to 18-1, with the Cobras winning by run rule. 

Aaron Mitchell (3-0) picked up the win on the mound. Mitchell allowed only one run and struck out two over 5.0 innings of work.

Game Two

Coker would pick right back up where they left off with in game two. Hall would send a two-run rocket over the right field wall, scoring Griffor to put Coker up 2-0 early. 

The Cobras would tack on an additional three runs in the third, first from Hanna's single to left that would score Griffor. Williams would follow up Hanna by doubling to right center, scoring Hall (4-0). Blanco's sacrifice fly to center would plate Hanna, making it 5-0. 

Coker would add on an additional run in the sixth from a Hall home run over the center field wall to put the Cobras up 6-0.The Cavaliers would score one in the bottom of the sixth to make it 6-1.

In the seventh, Hall would send his third home run of the game and fifth of the day over the center field wall, bringing home Griffor to extend the Coker lead to 8-1. UVA Wise would score four in the bottom of the seventh making it 8-5. 

In the eighth, Williams would score from Bryan Castillo's fielder's choice, before Blanco would score on a Cavalier wild pitch that also advanced Castillo to second (10-5). Coker's final run of the day would come from Griffor's RBI ground out to shortstop that scored Castillo, bringing the final game score to 11-5, clinching the series win for the Cobras. 

Chris Watkins got the start in game two, allowing only two hits and struck out five over 4.0 innings of work. Zachary Hinson (1-0) picked up the win on the mound in game two. Matt Hyatt also tossed one inning of relief work. Griffin Hollifield earned the save for Coker, his fifth of the season.

Coker is back in action next Saturday (April 10) at Queens (N.C.) for a weekend doubleheader series against the Royals. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m., with live coverage at www.cokercobras.com