HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Barton baseball team (4-5) fell to Coker (5-4) by a 4-3 score in a non-conference regional contest Wednesday evening at Tom J. New Field.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cobras' Alex Lazar (Coral Springs, Fla.) drove in Kyler Odum (Turbeville, Ohio) with a walk-off single as Coker picked up its third consecutive victory.
The Bulldogs rallied from a 3-1 deficit thanks to an RBI triple by junior third baseman
Yariel Diaz (Fort Myers, Fla.) and junior first baseman
Ian Murphy (West Deptford, N.J.) before Lazar's heroics in the ninth frame.
Diaz had a pair of hits for the visitors while senior
Ryan Gordon (York, Pa.) (0-1) was tagged with the setback for the Bulldogs, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
For Coker, Justin Skinnell (Clover, S.C.) (1-0) earned the victory after pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
Barton opens Conference Carolinas play on Friday at 2:00 p.m., against King at Nixon Field while Coker hosts Ohio Dominican on Friday in a doubleheader beginning 1:00 p.m.
