PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Coppin State baseball opened conference play with a 6-3 loss to Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday, March 18
th at Hawk Stadium.
Coppin State (1-11, 0-1) managed to take an early lead in their 2017 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) opener against the Hawks with a pair of runs in the second inning. The Hawks (3-11, 1-0) responded with one run in the bottom of the second before exploding for five runs in the fourth inning, taking game one of the weekend series over the Eagles, 6-3.
Freshman pitcher
Quinn Gleed (1-3) went 4.2 innings on the mound striking out four batters and walking two. Sophomore relief pitcher
Jahmon Taylor tossed 3.1 innings fanning three with only one hit surrendered.
Sophomore infielder Nazier McIlwain went 2-for-3 at the plate to carry the Eagles. McIlwain scored a run and had an RBI sacrifice fly out. Junior catcher
Brett Helmbrecht had Coppin State's other RBI while junior outfielder
Andres Santana and sophomore
Jamar Criss each scored runs.
The early advantage by Coppin State occurred on two hits to get things rolling in the second inning. McIlwain singled to right field leading off followed by Criss drawing a walk. Freshman outfielder
Corey Treyes laid a bunt down to advance both runners and then Helmbrecht RBI singled to right field scoring McIlwain (1-0). The Eagles capitalized off of a wild pitch by the Hawks defense that allowed Criss to cross home plate increasing their lead (2-0).
McIlwain had his second hit of the game in the third inning with a single to left center field, but Maryland Eastern Shore rallied from behind with five hits that turned into five runs in the fourth inning. Coppin State managed a run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly out to left field by McIlwain scoring Sanatana (6-3). Santana led the inning off with a single up the middle. In the ninth inning, senior outfielder
Clinton Arnold had CSU's final hit of the game singling to the right side.
The Eagles and the Hawks will play a double header on Sunday, March 19
th to complete the weekend series at Hawk Stadium.
