HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Brevard College softball team fell in both ends of a doubleheader against homestanding Coker on Saturday afternoon, falling 4-1 in the first contest of the day before an 8-4 Cobras' victory in Game Two.
Coker (14-29-1, 5-13 SAC) third baseman Ashley Gallman turned in an incredible offensive performance, going 6-for-7 at the plate with four runs scored and two RBI on the afternoon. She paced a Coker lineup that totaled 18 hits on the afternoon and struck out just eight times against one of the South Atlantic Conference's top pitchers.
Jamie Hrobak suffered the loss in both games for Brevard (17-31, 5-13 SAC), adding two complete games to reach an even 20 for the season. She now has 681 strikeouts in her career and 241 on the season, leaving her nine shy of establishing a new NCAA-era single-season record.
The Cobras struck for three runs in the first inning Hrobak to take an early Game One lead that they would not relinquish the rest of the way. Shortstop Mindy North led off with a 10-pitch at-bat, fouling off five consecutive two-strike pitches before lifting a single into left center.
The next batter also reached on a single before Maria Williamson drove both home with a double to start the scoring. Hannah Price's RBI single later in the inning upped the lead to three runs.
Hrobak largely held the Cobras at bay throughout the remainder of the contest, surrendering a run in the sixth after retiring 13 of 15 batters from the final out of the first inning until the last out of the fifth. The Tornados got a run back on a Hanna Huckabee single to left center in the third inning, but stranded the bases loaded.
Six Tornados recorded hits in the first contest, led by a 2-for-3 performance from designated player Ricki Kuhn. Hrobak suffered the loss in the circle, allowing four runs on eight hits in 6.0 innings. She retired four Cobras on strikes and did not issue a free pass in the losing effort. Augusta Jackson notched a complete-game victory on 113 pitches for the Cobras.
The Cobras again jumped out to an early lead in Game Two, this time scoring an unearned run to take a 1-0 advantage, before Brittan Miller evened the score in the second. She laced her first career triple down the right field line on a 2-0 count, then crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
Coker scored twice in both the second and fourth innings to up their advantage to 5-1, but Brevard surged back with three runs in the fifth inning to trim the lead to 5-4. An error, a walk, and an infield single loaded the bases for Lauren Parker, whose infield single drove in the first run of the inning.
Three pitches later, Kinsey Parrish notched her second hit of the contest on a bunt single to score Ashleigh Ivey from third. An RBI groundout by Paige Atkison drew Brevard within a run, but a nifty 5-3-2 double play ended the inning for the Cobras when Parker was thrown out sliding home after a delayed break for the plate.
The Cobras would tack on three additional runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and did not allow Brevard to score to reach the final margin of victory. Taylor Forehand earned the win after scattering six hits across 7.0 innings in an economical 94 pitches.
Brevard will return to action on Tuesday as the Tornados host Anderson. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2:00 p.m.
To keep up with all the latest information about the Tornados, "Like" our Brevard College Tornado Athletics Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @BCTornados.
Featured image courtesy of Neil Hayes. Click here to view more photos by Neil.
