BALTIMORE, Md. – Derek Lohr hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 11
th inning to give the Coppin State baseball team a 3-2 victory over MEAC rival Delaware State on Monday afternoon at Bachman Sports Complex. The Eagles completed a three-game sweep over the Hornets for the first time in program history and improve to 5-1 in conference play.
After stranding a pair in scoring position in the tenth, Coppin was able to come through with the game-winner in the 11
th. With two outs,
Marcos Castillo reached on a fielding error and got all of the way to third on a failed pickoff by pitcher
Nick Ruhl. A walk was issued to
Nazier McIlwain before Lohr's shot to center field.
The game-winning base hit was Lohr's fourth base knock of the day as the freshman shortstop from Bothell, Washington went 4-for-6 on the day. Castillo also had a great day at the plate, going 3-for-6 while
Andres Santana and
Caleb Duhay had two hits apiece. Santana, Duhay and Castillo, the top three hitters in the lineup, all had two stolen bases apiece as well.
Coppin needed to rally from a two-run deficit as Delaware State put two runs up on
Aaron Rea in the top of the first, but the combination of Rea and relief pitcher
Corey Treyes held the Hornets in check the rest of the game.
Aggressive base running by the Eagles set the tone for the game as it helped Coppin score their first run in the third inning. Santana got the rally started with a one-out single and advanced to second on Castillo's single. Both runners attempted to steal with McIlwain at the plate and the throw to third to get Santana sailed into left field, allowing Santana to score.
Santana once again got a rally started in the seventh as the Eagles managed to tie the score at two. Santana reached on an infield single, stole second and got to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Castillo then went to the gap in left center for an RBI double.
Coppin threatened in the eighth as well but left the bases loaded, three of 13 base runners the Eagles left on base.
Rea and DSU's
Darnell Maisonet were involved in a pitchers dual through seven innings as both got the no-decision. Rea allowing just one earned run on five hits while Maisonet allowed one run on eight hits in seven innings of work.
As the game wore on, Rea became increasingly effective for the Navy & Gold. Following a DSU leadoff single and stolen base in the fourth, Rea got the Hornets to line into a double play and retired the next batter on a foul out to the catcher. Rea then retired the side in order in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings before giving way to Treyes.
Treyes was just as impressive in relief for the Eagles to pick up his second win of the season. In 4.0 innings of work, Treyes allowed just one base hit and retired the last 11 batters he faced.
On Deck: Winners of four-straight, Coppin will go on the road to take on Navy on Wednesday, March 28 at 3 pm. The Midshipmen were victorious in the previous meeting this year, 3-1, on February 28.
