HANOVER, Md. – Jack Kraft had two hits to lead the Coppin State baseball team during an 11-0 setback to Maryland Eastern Shore in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) contest Friday at Joe Cannon Stadium.
This was the first of 12 consecutive home conference games for Coppin State (1-21 overall, 0-10 MEAC).
It was Kraft's sixth multi-hit game of the season. Kraft has reached base in nine straight games for the Eagles. He had a hit in the bottom of the first and third innings to increase his season total to 22.
Randal Mendez also singled for Coppin State, which has dropped all four games to UMES this season. Mendez has 21 hits, which is third on the team.
After falling behind 4-0 in the first inning following two-run homers from Justin Dattilo and Quenton Hamrick, the Eagles immediately threatened in the bottom of the inning. Kraft and Mendez singled with one out. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they never advanced home. Coppin State produced three base runners the rest of the game.
Defensively for Coppin State,
Colin Dower made two nice plays at shortstop while
George Dragon had a beautiful diving catch of a fast-sinking line drive to end the top of the seventh inning. Coppin State pitchers
Desean Rabb and
Jhar Devilme combined to strikeout eight UMES players.
The first-place Hawks (10-17, 8-2) also got a solo home run from Joshua James leading off the fifth inning. James and Dattilo combined for six of UMES' 13 hits. The Hawks have won six of the last seven meetings against Coppin State.
Coppin State and UMES will conclude its weekend set and six-game season series with a pair of nine-inning doubleheaders Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m.
