Softball Splits Wild Doubleheader with Mount St. Mary’s

BALTIMORE – Coppin State's softball team snapped a five-season losing streak to Mount St. Mary's with a 6-5 victory in game one of a doubleheader on Tuesday night, but fell in the nightcap, 15-7.
 
The Basics

• Final Score (Game 1): Coppin State 6, Mount St. Mary's 5
• Final Score (Game 2): Coppin State 5, Mount St. Mary's 15
• Records: Coppin State (6-25), Mount St. Mary's (19-24)

How it Happened (Game 1)

• Mount St. Mary's got out a 2-0 lead with a run in the second and third innings before Coppin scored three in the third to take its first lead of the game.
• The first run came on an RBI double by Cayla Brown which scored pinch runner Jaylene Sierra.  Sierra replaced Megan Narvaez who had walked to start the inning before reaching scoring position after Patricia Soria laid down a sac bunt.  Cloe Ochoa then walked and Kylie Flagler was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Soraya Valdez-Frick drove in two runs with a double to the gap in right center.
• Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and the Eagles put another three spot on the board in the fifth to take a 6-2 lead. Hatika James had the big hit of the inning with a three-run triple to right center, scoring Brown, Flagler and Valdez-Frick.
• Starting pitcher Madison Didion escaped a bases loaded jam unscathed in the sixth and stranded two runners in the seventh before The Mount cut the lead to 6-5 with two runs.

Inside the Numbers (Game 1)

• Cayla Brown was the lone Coppin player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.  Hatika James drove in three runs with a hit and a walk while Soraya Valdez-Frick drove in two runs.
• Madison Didion received the win, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out nine in the complete game.

How it Happened (Game 2)

• The nightcap started like the first with Mount St. Mary's getting out to a 2-0 lead, but it got another two runs in the third to take a 4-0 lead.
• Coppin cut the deficit in half with two runs in the third as Nia Bowe and Brissa Alvarado both drew walks with the bases loaded.
• Mount St. Mary's came right back with four runs off Alvarado in the fourth before CSU scored two more in the fifth to cut it back down to 8-4.  Alvarado helped her own cause in the frame with an RBI single before a fielding error allowed Bowe to score once again.
• The final two innings saw a combined seven errors which led to ten combined runs.
• The Mount extended its lead to 11-4 with three runs on one hit and two errors in the sixth before Coppin scored one in its half as Cayla Brown reached on an error to score Soraya Valdez-Frick who singled to lead off the frame and got to second on another single by Megan Narvaez.
• Two errors led to the Mountaineers scoring another four runs in the seventh to make it a 15-5 game.
• Coppin scored twice in the seventh but were unable to close the gap any further. Alvarado reached on an error to start the frame before Jaylene Sierra singled to left. Lexi Flom then hit a shot to left field which was caught at the wall, and as the fielder was down after hitting the fence, Alvarado scored from second and Sierra moved to third.  Valdez-Frick then drove in Sierra with an RBI single to center field, capping off the scoring.

Inside the Numbers (Game 2)

• Megan Narvaez, Cayla Brown, Brissa Alvarado and Soraya Valdez-Frick all had two hits apiece with Alvarado helping her own cause in the circle with two RBI and a walk.
• Valdez-Frick drove in a run and also scored a run while Kylie Flagler scored twice as well.
• In the circle, Alvarado took the loss, allowing nine earned runs in 5.0 innings.  Lexi Flom tossed the last two innings and all five runs were unearned.

Up Next 

• Coppin returns home for a three-game MEAC series against Howard on April 19-20.  Friday's single game is scheduled for 2 pm followed by a 12 pm doubleheader on Saturday.