Coker Comes from Behind to Defeat West Georgia 8-6
The regionally ranked No. 7 Coker Cobras scored four unanswered in the final innings to come from behind and defeat the West Georgia Wolves 8-4 in college baseball action on Tuesday (Mar. 19).
HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The regionally ranked No. 7 Coker Cobras scored four unanswered in the final innings to come from behind and defeat the West Georgia Wolves 8-6 in college baseball action on Tuesday (Mar. 19). The win moves the Cobras to a record of 17-8 on the season.
The Cobras jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but four runs by the Wolves in the top of fifth gave West Georgia a 4-3 lead. An RBI double by Zach Loraine in the bottom half of the inning tied the game at four, but the Wolves answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth, making it a 6-4 ball game.
Frank Suarez's RBI double to left center in the bottom of the sixth, trimming the Wolves advantage to just one. Then in the bottom of the seventh a pair of pinch-hit RBI singles by Ernie Kirkwood and Chase Spivey gave the Cobras the 8-6 lead and the eventual win.
John Lauttenbach (1-1) got the win on the mound for the Cobras. He tossed two innings allowing two runs on five hits with a strikeout, while Loraine (9) picked up the save, throwing an inning and a third of scoreless, hitless baseball with two strikeouts. Loraine's save sets a new single season record for saves at Coker with nine. John Crowther set the previous record of eight in 1994.
Loraine was also the Cobras leader at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and a run scored. Spivey also drove in two runs, while Suarez had a double with an RBI and Kirkwood drove in and scored a run.
The Cobras and the Wolves will complete their two-game series on Wednesday (Mar. 20) with a nine-inning game starting at 3 p.m. at Coker's Tom J. New Field.
McDonald's Player of the Game- Zach Loraine