Chowan Sports
MURFREESBORO- The Chowan University baseball team split a pair of games on Sunday in their season home opener against Coker College. Both teams open the season with a 1-1 record after Sunday’s contests.
In the first game, Tyler Burden put the Hawks on the board in the bottom of the first with a solo homerun deep over the right field fence. A passed ball on the bottom of the third allowed Jacob Nestor to score, giving Chowan a 2-0 advantage. Coker answered back in the top of the fifth using Anthony Scaccia’s solo shot to left field but the Hawks responded in their half of the frame with a run off of Kyle Cross’ single up the middle to secure the 3-2 win.
The Hawks tallied five hits in the first contest in comparison to four hits by the Cobras. Burden collected two hits in the opening game. Evan Hart earned the win on the mount after tossing eight innings and collecting six strikeouts. Bobby Mason came in in-relief to earn the save for Chowan.
In the nightcap, the Cobras jumped out to an early 3-0 lead using Bryson Conner’s RBI single and a Hawk error in the top of the second. The Hawks regained their composure and scored four runs in the bottom half of the frame using Spenser McGhee’s RBI double, a Coker error and Burden’s two-run, two-out single.
Trailing 4-3 in the top of the fourth, Coker took hold of the lead as the Cobras tacked on three runs using Bryson Conner’s’ two-run single and Joe Diaz’s sacrifice fly.
Chowan was unable to answer back offensively and dropped the 6-4 decision in game two. Will Gurganus and Stephen Hux each notched two hits in the setback.
Bryson paced Coker with two hits and three RBI’s while Sammy Song added three hits in the win. John Lauttenbach picked up the win on the mound for Coker while Carter Siweck suffered the loss.
The Hawks return to action on February 3rd when they host Barton College. First pitch for the nonconference nine inning game is slated for 2:00pm on Hawkins Field.