Baseball Drops Pair of Games at Norfolk State

NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State's baseball team fell in a pair of games at MEAC rival Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon at Marty Miller Field, snapping the Eagles' streak of 13-straight conference series' victories which was tops in the Nation.  Norfolk blanked Coppin, 6-0, in the opener before taking the nightcap, 4-3.

The Basics

• Final Score (Game 1): Coppin State 0, Norfolk State 6
• Final Score (Game 2): Coppin State 3, Norfolk State 4
• Records: Coppin State (20-16, 11-6 MEAC), Norfolk State (16-18, 12-5 MEAC)
• Location: Norfolk, Va. (Marty Miller Field)

Inside the Numbers (Game 1)

• Nazier McIlwain recorded a pair of base hits in the opener while Justin Banks and Carlos Alviarez also reached safely twice, collecting one base hit and a walk.
• Jahmon Taylor allowed four runs on four hits while striking out eight in 5.0 innings of work.  Anthony Martinez tossed the final three innings and gave up just one run on four hits.

How It Happened (Game 1)
 

• After a scoreless first inning, Norfolk put a four spot on the scoreboard in the second which included a three-run home run from Justin Hayes.
• The Spartans also added sing runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
• Coppin left eight runners on base, including two each in the fourth and fifth innings.

 
Inside the Numbers (Game 2)

• Nazier McIlwain continued his hot-hitting, going 4-for-4 with two RBI and a triple to lead the Eagles offensively. 
• Marcos Castillo also had a pair of hits and drew a walk while Justin Banks and Carlos Alviarez had a hit and a walk apiece.
• Aaron Rea allowed four runs on five hits while fanning six in 5.0 innings before Branden Redfern threw three scoreless innings while striking out five.

How It Happened (Game 2)

•  ​​​​​​Coppin took a 3-0 lead after scoring all of its runs in the first inning.  Justin Banks got it started with a one-out single, and after Erik Crossman reached, Nazier McIlwain tripled down the left field line to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.  McIlwain then scored on a groundout off the bat of Carlos Alviarez.
• Aaron Rea retired the first seven batters of the game before Norfolk got a run in the fourth.  After Coppin left two runners in in the fifth, the Spartans made the Eagles pay with three runs to take a 4-3 lead to end Rea's day on the mound.
• Coppin threatened in each of the final four innings but came up empty.  The Eagles left two on in the seventh and grounded into double plays to end both the eighth and ninth innings.

 
Up Next: Coppin now trails Norfolk by one game in the MEAC North standings and will look to even the league standings with a single game on Sunday, April 21 at 1 pm.