Cobras Take Down No. 11 Braves 8-4

PEMBROKE, N.C. – The Coker Cobras pounded out eight runs on 14 hits to take down the nationally ranked No. 11 UNC Pembroke Braves, 8-4 on Wednesday (Apr. 3) in college baseball action. The win moves the Cobras to 23-11 overall.

Coker wasted little time jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a two-run single by Frank Suarez. Pembroke answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to one. The Cobras regained the two run advantage when Justin Blechle drove Chad Nader home in the top of the second. The Braves answered once again with a run in the bottom of the second, making it a 3-2 game. The score remained unchanged through into the fifth inning, when both teams exchanged runs. A Keith Wolf RBI in the top of the sixth gave the Cobras a two-run advantage once again, 5-3. Each team scored a run in the seventh and the Cobras tacked on two insurance runs in the eighth and ninth for the 8-4 win.

Dan Meyer (4-3) picked up the win for the Cobras on the mound, going 4.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Zach Loraine (12) added to his nation leading save total, scattering three hits over 2.1 innings with a pair of punch-outs.

Wolf and Shea Bell collected three hits with a double, an RBI and two runs scored each to lead the Cobras at the plate. Suarez drove in two runs on a pair of hits, while T.J. Giczkowski had two hits with an RBI. Loraine also added a pair of hits, including a double with two runs scored.

The Cobras return to the field on Tuesday (Apr. 6) when they travel to Cary, N.C. to take on St. Augustine's College in a non-conference game at 6 p.m. at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.