GLEN BURNIE, Md. – Coppin State erupted for 17 runs in game one and then shutout Delaware State, 2-0 in a MEAC doubleheader sweep over the Hornets on Sunday afternoon at Bachman Sports Complex. The Eagles, who took the opener, 17-13, are now 4-1 in conference play while the Hornets fall to 0-5.
Nazier McIlwain drove in four runs to lead Coppin in the game one victory while
Marcos Castillo drove in three.
Caleb Duhay,
Derek Lohr and
Erik Crossman also had multi-RBI efforts and both
Andres Santana and
Allen Saar added a pair of base knocks.
The Eagles rallied from a 5-0 deficit and scored seven runs in the third to take a 7-5 lead. Three-straight singles by Santana, Saar and Duhay cut Delaware State's lead to 5-3, before a groundout and a double by Lohr tied the game at five. Following a walk issued to Crossman, Castillo drilled a shot to the gap in left center to give Coppin its first lead.
Delaware State tied the game at seven with a pair of runs off starting pitcher
Branden Redfern in the fourth before giving way to
Quinn Gleed who retired the final two batters of the frame.
Coppin went back on top in its half of the inning with three runs to go up 10-7. Once again, the top of the order hit three-straight singles and a sacrifice fly by McIlwain extended the lead to three runs.
The Hornets were able to get to Gleed for six runs in the fifth, going back up, 13-10 and relief pitcher Travis Dill pitched a scoreless fifth for DSU.
Crossman had a big hit for Coppin in the sixth as the Eagles put up another crooked number on the scoreboard with four runs in the frame.
Drew Thomas started the rally with a pinch hit single through the right side and advanced to second on a fielding error. Lohr then drove in Thomas with a single and Crossman drove in both McIlwain and Lohr with a double to tie the score at 13. Castillo's then singled in Crossman, giving CSU a 14-13 lead.
Devin Rivera Ozuna threw four scoreless innings for the Eagles, allowing just one it and striking out to earn his first victory of the season.
Coppin was able to add some extra insurance in the late innings with two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth. McIlwain had RBIs in both frame with a double in the seventh and a based loaded walk in the eighth.
Game two was a polar opposite of game one as it was a pitcher's duel from start to finish. Coppin's
Jahmon Taylor got the upper hand in the nightcap, allowing just two hits in the complete game shutout while striking out nine.
The Eagles got single runs in the first and second innings on an RBI single by McIlwain in the first and a sac bunt by
Corey Treyes.
Delaware State's best chance to score came in the fifth inning as the Hornets led off the inning with a double and a wild pitch to put a runner on third with no outs. Following a coaches visit to the mound, Taylor struck out the next two batters and got out of the inning unscathed after a foul out to catcher
Brett Helmbrecht.
On Deck: Coppin will look to complete a three-game sweep of Delaware State as the same two teams meet on Monday afternoon at 2 pm at Bachman Sports Complex.
