HARTSVILLE, SC – Coker earned a double-header sweep of Queens University of Charlotte Sunday afternoon thanks to the outstanding pitching of Amanda Shelton and Somer Bigham.

Shelton defeated the Royals 1-0 in eight innings and Bigham won the second game 2-1 with the winning run coming in the bottom of the seventh inning.  Coker improves to 24-15 overall and 14-4 in the CVAC, and Queens now stands at 19-21, 10-8 in the conference.

Shelton pitched her best game of the year in game one, allowing only two hits and striking out six in eight innings of work. 

Brittne’ Stubbs led off the game with a single for Queens and advanced to third, but was thrown out at the plate on a grounder to the third baseman.  That would prove to be the Royal’s best scoring opportunity of the game as Shelton allowed only three runners to reach base the rest of the way.

The Cobras had six hits in the game but couldn’t get a run across in the first seven innings.  In the extra frame, Amy Shelley was placed on second base and moved to third on a single by Christan Morabito.  Queens recorded the next two outs but Jacque Stewart/Cumming, GA came through with a clutch RBI single to win the game.

Both teams scored in the first inning of game two, but then the pitching took over again and it appeared that extra innings would be needed again.  But in the seventh inning, Nicole Crider led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. 

An error by the shortstop put Coker runners at second and third with no outs, but again the Royals retired the next two batters.  This time Shelley stepped to the plate and delivered the game-winning RBI single to left field and CC pulled out the sweep.

Morabito had two hits and a run scored on the day and Marie Mascio also had a pair of hits.  Stubbs had three hits and a run scored for Queens and used her speed to trouble the Cobras.

Coker faces Erskine College at home on Monday, April 18, with a regular season-title at stake.  The Cobras trail Erskine by one loss in the standings and need to sweep the Flying Fleet to finish first in the CVAC.  The double-header is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM.