HAMMOND, La. – Coppin State softball competed at the Lions Classic hosted by Southeastern Louisiana on Friday, February 10
th through Sunday, February 12
th at North Oak Park. Sophomore
Megan Narvaez and
Melanie Benge both led the Eagles with three hits over the weekend at while
Madison Didion made three starts on the mound for Coppin State collecting eight strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched
.
Feb. 11 - UT Martin 8, Coppin State 0
Freshman pitcher
Arianna Alderete made her first appearance on the mound for the Eagles striking out a batter in three innings pitched against UT Martin. Freshman
Patricia Soria singled to first base in the second inning and sophomore
Hatika James singled to second base in the fourth inning highlighting the Coppin State offense. UT Martin scored three runs in the first inning, two in both the second and third innings and scored one run in the fifth inning cruising to victory.
Feb. 11 – Mississippi Valley State 7, Coppin State 3
Sophomore outfielder
Alisha Esqueda had a team-high two hits and sophomore infielder
Cayla Brown and
Hatika James each recorded RBIs in a 7-3 loss to Mississippi Valley State. Coppin State finished with six hits and scored runs in the final three innings. MVSU scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings and then sealed their win with one run on the seventh inning.
The Eagles defense surrendered 12 hits and was led by pitcher
Madison Didion. Didion went five innings, fanning for batters and walking only one. Sophomore
Dakota Gartrell pitched in relief going two innings.
Coppin State scored their first run of the game in the fifth inning off of a pair of errors by the MVSU defense. James led the inning off and reached base on a throwing error. She later scored an unearned run as junior catcher
Nicole Ullman also reached on a throwing error sending James home.
Esqueda's first hit was in the sixth inning singling through the left side. Freshman
Cloe' Ochoa also singled through the left side for the second hit of the inning and then James sacrifice flied out to left field sending Esqueda home for the Eagles second run.
Freshman
Kimberly Evans pinch hit for the Eagles in the seventh inning and recorded her first career hit singling through the left side. The next hit of the inning was by Esqueda with a blast to the pitcher and Brown sacrifice flied out to the outfield scoring sophomore infielder
Megan Narvaez for CSU's final run of the game.
Feb, 12 – Nicholls State 13, Coppin State 0
The Eagles recorded a pair of hits in the fourth inning and was shut out by Nicholls State.
Megan Narvaez singled to left-center field and
Kimberly Evans singled to left field capping CSU's production at the plate. Coppin State used three pitchers that gave up eight total hits. Nicholls scored one run in the first inning, four in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth and four more runs in the fifth inning.
Feb. 12 – Southeastern Louisiana 6, Coppin State 1
Megan Narvaez RBI singled to right field sending
Patricia Soria home for Coppin State's only run in a 6-1 loss to host Southeastern LA. Coppin State finished with three total hits by outfielder
Melanie Benge,
Cayla Brown and Narvaez. Pitcher
Madison Didion recorded three strikeouts in six innings while only walking one batter for the Eagles. Southern LA scored two runs in both the first and second innings and then tacked on two more in the fifth inning.
Coppin State University softball team has an overall record of 1-6 through their first weekend of the season and will open at home against Marist College on Sunday, February 19
th at 12 p.m. at the CSU Softball Field.
