BALTIMORE – The Eagles and Knights totaled 59 runs in their final game of the mid-week series on Wednesday, April 13
th at Joe Cannon Field. Coppin State fell in the end 35-24, highlighted by a pair of home runs by senior outfielder
John Kraft and freshman infielder
Jamar Criss.
Junior infielder
Bryant Miranda put the Eagles on top first with an RBI single up the middle scoring senior infielder
Colin Dower. Coppin State added on two more runs later in the first inning on a double to center field by senior outfielder
George Dragon. Dragon's double scored Miranda and freshman infielder
Jamar Criss for a 3-0 advantage.
The Knights came back with runs scored off of wild pitches by the Eagles defense in the top of the second inning. Fairleigh Dickinson tied the game on two hits with three wild pitches. Coppin State replaced starting pitcher
Myles Taylor and inserted freshman
Andrew O'Dwyer. O'Dwyer got through the inning with two strikeouts and assisting on a groundout.
In the second inning Coppin scored six runs off of four hits breaking out to a 9-3 lead. Freshman catcher
John O'Dwyer scored an unearned run as Dower reached base on an error by the FDU outfield. On the next play, Criss knocked in an RBI-single up the middle bringing home freshman outfielder
Carlos Alviarez (5-3). After a pitching change by FDU, Miranda came to the plate and brought in Dower for the second unearned run of the inning (6-3). Two straight runs followed with Dragon doubling to left field along with senior
Darien Percell (8-3). Percell's single scored Miranda while Dragon's scored Criss for the second time.
FDU made the game 9-4 in the third inning on a bases loaded groundout. They added on five runs in the fourth inning on four hits tying the game at 9-9.
Coppin State broke the tie with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Erik Crossman doubled through the left side scoring Dragon and then
John O'Dwyer hit a sacrifice fly out to right field bringing home Percell (11-9).
In the fifth inning, FDU exploded for six runs on four hits reclaiming the lead 15-11. Freshman pitcher
Daniel Alvarez came into the lineup replacing Taylor on the mound.
Freshman Nazier McIlwain pinch hit for the Eagles in the fifth inning and singled to left field for a pair of RBIs. Criss and Miranda crossed home plate (15-13) putting CSU back on track. Later that inning, J. O'Dwyer singled to center field sending McIlwain and Dragon home tying the game for the fourth time (15-15).
The Eagles coaching staff brought in freshman
Ryan Fowler to pitch in the sixth inning replacing Alvarez. Alvarez went 1.1 innings forcing four Knights to fly out. The Knights posted six runs in the sixth off of four hits and one error by the Eagles defense (21-15). CSU cut the six run deficit to three with two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning. Criss singled to left field helping Kraft score the Eagles first run of the inning (21-16). Dragon sacrifice flied out to right field scoring Dower (21-17) and then McIlwain also flied out to the outfield sending Criss home (21-18).
In the seventh inning, FDU sprung to a 26-18 lead with five runs on five hits. When the Eagles offense came to the plate in the seventh, Jack Kraft recorded his tenth home run of the season with a solo blast to right center field (26-19). FDU jumped out to a huge advantage with eight runs in the eighth inning (34-19).
In the ninth inning the Knights added on a final run taking a 35-19 lead. Freshman infielder
Joshua Doyle doubled to left field scoring McIlwain and
Thirus Jones, Jr. (35-21). Freshman
Joshua Smith was walked in the next at bat. Finally, Criss slammed a three run homer over the left field fence, bringing home Doyle and Smith (35-24) for the Eagles. For Criss, it was his third home run of the season.
FDU pulled it out at the end and won 35-24 splitting the mid-week series with Coppin State.
Coppin State will travel to Dover for a weekend series against Delaware State University with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 16 beginning a 4:00 p.m. and a single game Sunday, April 17 at noon. All games will be played at Soldier Field.
