Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY — In the midst of a three-game three-day home series with a pair of opponents, the Newberry College (6-3) baseball team dropped a non-conference match-up to the Cobras of Coker University (4-6), 7-3, on Saturday, February 18.
Junior Henry Gibson (Walterboro) was the lone Wolf to earn an RBI on the afternoon as he recorded a pair in the contest while going 2-for-4 at the plate. Sophomore Donovan Ford (Greenville) and senior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) each recorded a pair of hits in the game while sophomore Jomar Lugo (San Sebastian, P.R.) and freshman John Allen Forrester (West Columbia) each tallied a hit in the contest. Senior Joe LaFiora (Philadelphia, Pa.) struck out five batters over his five innings of work in the game.
Coker was able to jump out to an early lead in the top of the first with a single run plated in the frame. While the Wolves looked like they would strike right back in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runners in scoring position late in the inning, but were unable to capitalize on the early opportunity. However, the Wolves were able to pull the score back level in the bottom of the third inning as a bunt hit by Ford followed by a defensive miscue by the Cobra’s pitcher put a run on the board for the Wolves.
The Cobra’s tallied a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to pull back ahead. The Wolves went silent again till the bottom of the sixth when they were able to pull back to within one of a single to right field by Gibson that brought the score to 3-2. Coker continued to pull away in the contest with another pair of runs in the top of the seventh and an additional pair in the top of the eighth to pull ahead 7-2. Newberry was able to add a run to their total in the bottom of the eighth off a pair of failed pick-off attempts, but that was all the offense would muster over the remainder of the contest as they dropped the 7-3 final.