RICHMOND, Ky. – Coppin State University's baseball team dropped the opener of a three-game series at Eastern Kentucky, 14-4, on Friday afternoon at Earle Combs Stadium. The Eagles fall to 1-5-1 on the year while the Colonels improve to 3-6 with one of those victories coming against 15th-ranked Virginia earlier this week.
Eastern Kentucky got ahead 5-0 with three runs in the first inning and two more in the fifth off starting pitcher
Aaron Rea. Coppin, however, did not go away without a fight, rallying for four runs in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to a single run.
With a relief pitcher now in the game for the Colonels,
Andres Santana got the rally started with a two-out single before advancing on a wild pitch and stealing third.
Corey Treyes got Coppin on the board with a double down the left field line on a full count and he came in on a single through the left side by
Erik Crossman.
Leading by just three runs, Eastern Kentucky made another pitching change but that did not stop the Eagles.
Derek Lohr kept the inning alive with a pinch hit single before
Allen Saar drove in another run with a single to score Crossman. Lohr then scored from second as
Caleb Duhay dropped in a single down the right field line before a groundout ended the run.
The Colonels were able to get one of those runs back in their half of the sixth off Rea before scoring eight runs off the Coppin bullpen.
Saar kept up his solid play to start the season with his second-straight two hit game while also drawing a walk.
Drew Thomas also reached safely with a hit and two walks.
Rea took the loss for the Navy & Gold, allowing six earned runs on nine hits in 6.0 innings.
Anthony Martinez,
Daniel Alvarez and Treyes pitched the final three frames in relief.
Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday, March 3 at 2 pm.
Quinn Gleed is scheduled to start for the Eagles against Austin Perry, a redshirt senior for the Colonels.
