February 20, 2010
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HARTSVILLE, S.C.—St. Andrews freshman first baseman Daniel Oliver (Plymouth, N.C.) was 3-for-6 on the day with a sacrifice fly but the Coker College baseball team captured its first Conference Carolinas series victory in more than two years with a 11-4 and 9-3 doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon at Tom J. New Field.
The wins improve the Cobras to 8-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference, while the Knights remain winless, falling to 0-9 on the year and 0-4 in the conference.
Oliver, senior Samson Williams (Wilmington, N.C.), and junior Michael Cantwell (Burlington, N.J.) were the only three Knights to collect hits in both games. Williams had a team-high two RBI and Cantwell scored three times.
GAME ONE: Coker 11, St. Andrews 4
Box Score; Play-By-Play
In the first game Coker started Mike Palko (Euclid, Ohio) pitched a gem for the Cobras. Palko tossed five innings of hitless baseball, allowing just one run in the opening frame before Oliver broke up the no-no with a single to center to start the sixth inning. Things got a little rocky for Palko in the sixth as he allowed three runs on three hits, but he managed to work his way out of the jam to help Coker secure the win.
The Coker hitters gave their pitchers plenty of run support; scoring a run in the first, three in the fourth, one in the fifth, two in the sixth and four in the eighth for the 11-4 win. The Cobras took advantage of five Knights errors that resulted in five unearned runs.
Palko (1-1) earned his first win of the season, allowing just four runs on three hits in sixth near perfect innings on the hill. Knights’ junior Jack Crawford (Montgomery, N.Y.) took the loss, going five solid innings allowing seven runs on nine hits with five strikeouts.
At the plate for the Cobras, Jordan Buenting (Ankeny, Iowa) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Brinley Griffin (Port St. John, Fla.) was 1-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Brian Luchsinger (Farmingville, N.Y.) and Nick Fuoco (Palm Bay, Fla.) were each 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, with Luchsinger hitting a triple and Fuoco a double and two stolen bases. Matt Ammons also had two hits for the Cobras including a double and two runs scored with three stolen bases.
For St. Andrews, Oliver was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Samson Williams was 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Cantwell had an RBI-triple and a run scored as well for the Knights.
GAME TWO: Coker 9, St. Andrews 3
Box Score; Play-By-Play
Game two belonged to Coker hurler Matt Long (Florence, S.C.) (4-0) the junior gave the Cobras their first complete game victory of the season, as he went the full seven innings, allowing just three runs while scattering eight hits and striking out three Knights.
St. Andrews looked to try and get things started early in game two, with Manny Williams (Wilmington, N.C.) and Samson Williams leading off the game with back-to-back hits, with Samson's scoring Manny, giving the Knights an early 1-0 lead. Long battled out the inning and Coker scored the bottom half to tie the game at one. Then a five-run second inning that was started by Drew Hardee's (Rock Hill, S.C.) two-run bases loaded single, broke the game wide open for Coker.
After St. Andrews plated a run in the fifth, Coker answered with three runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh gave the Cobras the 9-3 victory.
Senior David Carbonell (St. Charles, Ill.) (0-3) took the loss allowing nine runs on nine hits with two strikeouts in six innings of work.
Ammons and Griffin were both 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen bases to lead the Coker offense, while Luchsinger was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Hardee finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Manny Williams was the only Knight with two hits in game two, including a triple and an RBI, Samson Williams was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI and freshman Adrian Rivera (Staten Island, N.Y.) was 1-for-3 with an RBI.
NOTE:Special thanks to Coker Sports Information for providing portions of the release.
