Coker Softball Sweeps Queens (N.C.) in Doubleheader

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Coker University softball team swept Queens (N.C.) in its South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Wednesday (Mar. 30), winning game one 10-8 and game two 11-3 in six innings.

Game 1

The Royals got out to a 7-0 lead in the first five innings of the game. Coker would go on its own scoring-surge in the sixth starting with a run from Kelsi Scott after Chloe Pelham reached first base on a error by Queens's pitcher. Kayla Oswell pounded a single to left field to score Pelham and Makayla Cuthbertson to get the Cobras back in the game. Down 7-3 at the start of the seventh inning, Ava Jay put the Cobras on the board with a double to left field before advancing to third and scoring on Jessica McWhorter's single. Scott later hit a single to center field, that scored Madison King from second. Pelham then slammed a double that scored Scott and McWhorter to tie the game. Bailey Douglas broke the tie with a three-run home run, scoring Pelham and Oswell and giving Coker the 10-7 lead. Queens would get one run back in their half of the seventh, before Jordyn Goodman shut the door to secure the victory. 

Scott and Pelham combined for two runs apiece. Pelham along with Oswell and Douglas notched two hits each. Douglas finished with a team-leading three RBI, while Hannah Fisher (6-5) pitched five strikeouts on her way to the win. Goodman also collected her third save of the season in the final inning. 

Game 2

The Cobras started out strong, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Scott got things started with a single to center field before stealing second and advancing to third on Cuthbertson's fielder's choice. She scored Coker's first run of the game on an Oswell single. Mikayla Goodwin then knocked a three-RBI double that scored Pelham, Oswell and Cuthbertson. Oswell later scored on a single from Douglas. The Royals would tally three runs in the bottom of the first to make it a two-run game. The Cobras took control from that point, launching three long balls over the next few innings to bring the game to its final score. With one out left in the top of the third, King struck with a solo homer to left field. Pelham later followed with a three-run bomb to left that brought home Cuthbertson and Scott, before Goodwin delivered the final blow with a two-run nuke to left to score Oswell. 

Goodwin finished the game with three hits and five RBI, while five different Cobras scored in the game. Goodman (6-1) picked up the victory in the circle, scattering eight hits over four innings allowing two earned runs while striking out two. Isabelle Mullen notched two scoreless innings of relief, with four punchouts. 

The Cobras are back in action at home on Wednesday (Apr. 7) for a conference doubleheader with Newberry. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2:00 p.m. from Saleeby-Stokes Field, with video and live stats available at www.cokercobras.com.