SOFTBALL SPLITS WITH MOUNT OLIVE ON THE ROAD
Mount Olive, NC - A match-up that was everything it was shaped up to be, the Cobras head to Mount Olive and come away with one win while being unbelievably close to taking both games.
By The Numbers:
Final Score: Coker 5, UMO 3 (Game 1) | UMO 11, Coker 10 - 9 Innings (Game 2)
Records: Coker 1-3 (0-0 SAC), UMO 2-4 (0-0 Conference Carolinas)
Location: Mount Olive, NC | Nancy Chapman Cassell Field
Top Performers
Emma Rushing: 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 1 run (Game 1)
Ashton Goodwin: 2 hits in 3 at-bats, 1 run, 2 RBIs (Game 1)
Bailee Gaskins: 2 hits in 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk (Game 2)
Madie Andrews: 2 hits in 5 at-bats, 2 runs (Game 2)
Carter Freeman: 2 hits in 3 at-bats, 1 run, 1 RBI (Game 2)
Payton Brigman: 3 hits in 5 at-bats, 1 run, 4 RBIs (Game 2)
How It Happened:
Game 1: A big first inning for the Cobras produced three runs, which ended up making the difference down the stretch for the team. Cheyenne Palmer brought home Rushing to score the first run, with Goodwin bringing home both Gaskins and Palmer right after to round out that inning. Coker made it 4-0 in the top of the fourth on a Mya Cribbs single that brought home Goodwin. Then, UMO attempted to get back in this one, scoring three straight in the bottom of the fourth to pull within one. A great pitching performance in relief by Brooklyn Lovin and an added insurance run in the top of the seventh (Gaskins bringing home Savanah Fowler) put the nail in the coffin.
Game 2: With a barrage of scoring in game two, the Cobras fell in dramatic fashion. After being down 5-1 heading into the top of the fourth, Coker saw two runs come home after a Brigman double brought through Palmer and Gaskins to close it to just a two-run gap. UMO stretched it back to 6-3 in the bottom of that same inning, but the Cobras would answer in a big way in the top of the sixth. A whopping five runs came through in that time frame to take the lead at 8-6. Lucky for UMO, they were able to score two runs of their own and hold off the Cobras to head into extra innings tied at 8-8. After a back-and-forth of runs scored, it was the Trojans that walked it off in the bottom of the ninth for a stunning 11-10 loss for the Cobras.
Notables
Brigman had a debut for the ages, providing a huge source of offense to this Cobra side in the second game. Unfortunately for the Cobras, the UMO offense was stellar today which overshadowed the stellar statline. Ariana Fair, the senior outfielder, is still just three steals away from breaking the Coker Softball All-Time steals record. She currently has 51 for her career while Sarah Roundtree ('13) holds the record at 53.
Up Next
The Cobras will travel to Erskine this weekend to take on the Flying Fleet in Due West. Those games are scheduled for 1 & 3 PM ET first pitches, respectively.