CORRECTION: Cobras and Falcons Split Wild Double-header

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
3/21/2009

Hartsville, S.C. - Coker and Pfeiffer played two completely opposite games, as they split their Conference Carolinas double-header on Saturday afternoon in collegiate baseball. Game one was an offensive battle that had the Cobras coming out on top 14-13, while game two was a pitchers duel that went extra innings and had Pfeiffer winning 2-1 in nine innings.

After the day, Coker moves to 15-13 overall, and 3-6 in the conference, while Pfeiffer is 19-8-1 overall, and 5-3 in the conference.

Game One
With two outs and bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, the Cobras defeated the Falcons 14-13, as two runs scored on a passed ball that bounced off the catcher into the third base dugout for a dead ball.

It was a battle of offense in game one, as there were a combined 26 hits and 27 runs, while both teams had a combined seven errors. The Cobras took advantage of two of those Falcons errors, scoring three runs on an error in the first and three more runs on an error in the seventh.

After Coker's four run first inning, Pfeiffer answered with three runs in the second inning. The Falcons took their first lead of the game with three runs in the fifth inning; the Cobras narrowed the gap with a run in the sixth. Pfeiffer regained the run in the top of the seventh for a 7-5 lead, but the Cobras rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 8-7 lead. Coker tacked on two more runs in the eighth for a 10-7 lead, but a six run ninth inning gave the Falcons a 13-10 lead. Then came the wild ninth inning, that saw Coker score four runs on two hits, including scoring two runs on a passed ball that bounced into the dugout for a dead ball.

Coker's Jonathan Gainey (Hartsville, SC) (1-1) picked up the win, throwing two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs on one hit, while Nick Fogleman (6-1) took the loss, tossing a third of an inning in relief, allowing one run.

Senior Karl Ankersen (Mt. Pleasant, SC) led the Coker, going 3-for-6 with four RBIs and a run scored, while Kyle Walker (Centralia, IL) went 4-for-6 with an RBI. Brian Luchsinger (Farmingville, NY) had a pair of hits, two RBIs and two runs scored, with Taylor Evans (Arvada, CO) picking up two hits including a double.

For Pfeiffer, Ethan Marsh was 1-for-2 with a game high four RBIs, while Brandon Rouse was 1-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Jesse Dunn finished the game 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and Will Davis was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Preston Lyon was 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs and Josh Strickland had a double with three RBIs.

Game Two
A one out RBI double in the top of the ninth by Pfeiffer's Marsh, broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Falcons a 2-1 win in extra innings of game two. Coker and Pfeiffer were deadlocked at one apiece after seven innings, sending the game to extra innings.

Coker got on the board first with a run in the first, but the Falcons Jonathan McDaniel (3-3) held Coker scoreless for the next eight innings, as he earned the complete game win, throwing nine innings, allowing just one run on five hits with 10 strikeouts.

Tom Oschip (Concord, OH) (2-1) took the loss, tossing 1.2 innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit.

Brinley Griffin (Port St.John, FL) was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Walker was 1-for-3 with an RBI to lead Coker.

For Pfeiffer, Marsh was 1-for-2 with an RBI double and Mike Green was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Coker and Pfeiffer will complete their three game series on Sunday, as they take to the field at 1:00 p.m.