BALTIMORE – Lady Eagles come from behind to down Howard with nine runs in the sixth inning, winning 11-7 on Thursday, April 21
st at the CSU Softball Field.
The Lady Eagles trailed 4-2 approaching the sixth inning when they exploded for eight hits leading to nine runs. Coppin State improves to 4-27 while Howard falls to 7-29 overall record.
Howard scored two runs in the third inning taking an early lead against the Lady Eagles. The Bison powered four hits in that inning.
Coppin State came up with some key plays in the bottom of the fifth inning with back-to-back hits by
Hatika James and
Danielle Smith. James slammed an RBI triple through the right side scoring pinch runner
Kimberlynn Brown. Smith was the next batter and brought in James with an RBI single to left field. At the end of the fifth, CSU trailed Howard 4-2.
Several big plays came in the Lady Eagles sixth inning. Nine runs scored off of eight hits as Coppin State jumped out to an 11-4 lead.
Megan Narvaez led off with a single up the middle and then Alisha Esqueada was next singling through the right side. Howard walked
Cayla Brown to load the bases for Gartell.
With the bases loaded full of Lady Eagles, Howard walked Gartell sending Narvaez home.
Senior catcher
Shelby Mendoza followed with an RBI single to center field, scoring Esqueda and then
Hatika James hit an RBI single to the pitcher, bringing home
Taylor Haller, who subbed in as a pinch runner for Brown.
That's when senior infielder
Danielle Smith blasted a grand slam over the left field fence giving Coppin State a 9-4 advantage.
Freshman outfielder
Melanie Benge singled up the middle in the next at bat and was sent home on a double to center field by freshman infielder
Megan Narvaez.
Alisha Esqueda followed with an RBI double to center field, scoring Narvaez as the Eagles took an 11-4 lead to end the sixth inning.
Howard would score three runs in the top of the seventh inning, but the Lady Eagles held off any chances of a comeback as CSU claimed an 11-7 victory.
Danielle Smith finished with a game-high three hits and five RBIs. She hit her first home run of the season at a critical point in the game. James, Esqueada, and Narzaez all had two hits each.
Pitcher
Dakota Gartell earned her second win of the season and third complete game. Gartell tossed all seven innings and fanned one batter.
Coppin State will finish its home schedule with a Senior Day weekend series against Hampton University. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 23 beginning at 1:00 p.m. and a single game on Sunday, April 24 at noon.
All games will be held at the CSU Softball Complex.
