DOVER, Del. – Coppin State baseball ended their conference regular season with an 11-9 win in extra innings at Delaware State on Sunday, May 7
th at Soldier Field.
Coppin State carried a 9-6 lead into the fourth inning and then Delaware State scored a run in the sixth, eighth and ninth innings to send the game into extra innings. The Eagles scored a pair of runs in the tenth innings on consecutive balks by the Hornets pitcher to win the third game of the conference series. With the 11-9 victory over Delaware State, head coach
Sherman Reed moves into tied for second place in all-time wins in Coppin State program history with 64.
The Eagles got off to a strong start with six runs on six hits in the second inning. Junior
Brett Helmbrecht singled up the middle and then moved to second on a single down the right field line by junior
Andres Santana. Freshman
Allen Saar loaded the bases drawing a walk and then freshman
Cole Gerula bunted for an RBI scoring Helmbrecht. Freshman
Corey Treyes RBI singled to third base bringing in Santana and then senior
Clinton Arnold cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to right center field. Sophomore
Nazier McIlwain scored Arnold for the sixth run on a single up the middle.
In the third inning CSU extended their lead with three runs on two hits. Freshman
Isaiah Wilson was walked and then Saar singled through the left side. Next, Gerula smacked a three run homer to left field his first of the season springing the Eagles to their ninth run.
Delaware State tied the game with one run on two hits in the bottom of the ninth inning. In the extra inning, Santana led off with a single to right field. Then Wilson advanced him to second on a single through the left side. Saar moved both runners on a bunt. Santana was on third base when the DSU pitcher was called for a balk allowing him to score. On the next play Wilson scored on a balk giving CSU a two run lead.
In the bottom portion of the tenth inning relief pitcher for Coppin State junior
John Bonanca paced the Eagles to a win in their final conference game of the season. CSU won in extra innings 11-9.
Bonanca won his first game pitching 2.2 innings facing a season-high 15 batters. Freshman starter
Jacob Lewis pitched a season-high 7.1 innings facing 34 batters.
Andres Santana tied a season-best with three hits and two runs scored.
Cole Gerula hit his first home run of the season finishing with two hits and four RBI while
Clinton Arnold had a career-high three RBI with a pair of hits.
Nazier McIlwain also had two hits with an RBI.
Coppin State will play two games this week to end their regular season. First up for the Eagles is Richmond on Wednesday, Ma7 10
th at noon at Joe Cannon Stadium. Then they travel to UMBC on Thursday, May 11
th for a 4pm meeting with the Retrievers.
