Lions Drop Series Opener To Coker

HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Lions baseball team dropped the opening game of a pivotal South Atlantic Conference series against the Coker Cobras on Friday, April 08. Defensive struggles doomed the Blue and Gold, who ultimately dropped the game by a final of 6-3. MHU falls to 24-15 overall and 9-10 in the SAC while Coker improves to 24-14, 9-7.

Brett Brubaker led the offense on the afternoon for the Lions, collecting three hits in four at-bats, while driving in two runs and scoring a pair of runs.

After putting the leadoff runner on in the first two innings the Lions could not scratch a run. The Cobras took advantage of that and put a two-spot up in the bottom of the second following a RBI double by Thomas Lopez to left center. Lopez advanced to third on a wild pitch and came in to score after a single by Miguel Frias. Two defensive miscues by the Lions in the bottom of three allowed Coker to extend its lead to 6-0, with the big blow coming from a bases-clearing double by Frias.

Mars Hill began to chip away at the lead in the top of the fifth, plating a single run. Back-to-back base knocks from Brubaker and Logan Conley put runners at first and second with no out. Dalton Eisenbath hit a hot-shot to third that was mishandled, allowing Brubaker to come around and score the first run for the Lions. Brubaker was at it again in the top of six when he took a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall for a two-run homerun, cutting the Cobras' lead in half, 6-3.

The Lions looked poised to add another run in the top of the seventh as Phillip Carroll started the inning with a triple over the right fielder's head. The next batter lifted a ball to center for an out and Carroll tagged and just beat the throw home. However, the Cobras appealed the play and it was deemed that Carroll left third early and was called out on the play. A foul out from the next hitter allowed Coker to escape the inning unscathed.

Mars Hill made things interesting in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs, but just could not get the key hit needed to send the game to the home-half, falling in game one by a final of 6-3.

Zac Brown was tagged with the tough loss as he pitched 5 1/3 innings while only allowing two earned runs and scattering six hits. Brown added six punch-outs on the afternoon. The Lions relievers pitched well in the game, throwing 2 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball.

MHU will look to bounce back and take the series tomorrow as the two teams will get together for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.