Southeast Regional round-up

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on May 17, 2013 1:48 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Fourth-seeded Coker (S.C.) College emerged victorious in its NCAA tournament debut, defeating third-seeded Armstrong Atlantic State 11-6 in opening-round play of the 2013 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional on Thursday afternoon.

The Cobras (35-14 overall) play USC-Aiken at 7 p.m. today at Scarborough Field on the Mount Olive College campus. AASU (31-16) takes on top-seeded Mount Olive at 3 p.m. today and must win to stay alive in the double-elimination regional.

Coker's Keith Wolf collected four RBI, while teammates Brinley Griffin and Zach Loraine powered a 17-hit attack. Griffin (RBI) and Loraine (three RBI) cranked out three hits apiece.

Fico Kondla (two RBI), Justin Blechle and Shea Bell (RBI) each contributed two hits.

The Cobras built a 4-0 lead after 11/2 innings.

Wolf's two-RBI single and Griffin's RBI single spearheaded a three-run, second-inning outburst. The Pirates capitalized on a pair of Coker errors to pull within 4-3 in the bottom of the second inning, but would get no closer.

Blechle's two-out triple ignited a two-run fourth inning and the Cobras extended their advantage to 7-3 with a single run in the fifth. AASU's Dallas Johnson hit a lead-off, solo home run in the seventh, but Coker answered on Kondla's two-RBI double in the eighth.

The Cobras scored their first six runs with two outs.

Coker starter Dan Meyer (7-3) struck out five and permitted four hits in a six-inning stint. Kondla's stretch turned a potential throwing error into a 5-4-3 double play to end the second inning, and he turned an unassisted double play in the fifth with a diving catch on a bunt attempt.

AASU starter Ethan Bader suffered his first loss in nine decisions this season.

USC-Aiken 11, Georgia College 7

Josh Miller smashed a first-pitch, walk-off grand slam home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, propelling second-seeded USC-Aiken to a victory over fifth-seeded Georgia College on Thursday afternoon.

The Pacers' first three batters -- Ryan Metzler, Tyler Moore and Sean Miller -- reached base safely to start the ninth-inning rally. Metzler and Moore singled, and Moore beat the throw to third base on Miller's sacrifice attempt.

After an infield flyout, Miller deposited Jordan Modine's offering over the left-field fence to end the game. It was Miller's third hit on the day.

Metzler's two-run homer helped USC-Aiken build a 6-0 lead through three innings. Georgia College erased the deficit with a four-run fourth inning and two additional runs in the sixth.

Clay Ardeeser's home run gave the Bobcats a 7-6 lead in the sixth.

The Pacers (42-11 overall) responded with Ty Barkell's game-tying homer in the seventh. The teams played a scoreless eighth until Miller's walk-off heroics in the ninth.

USCA reliever Taylor Grover (5-0) earned the mound win.