Softball Uses Big Inning to Take MEAC Series from Maryland Eastern Shore

BALTIMORE – Coppin State's softball team used a seven-run fifth inning to defeat MEAC rival Maryland Eastern Shore, 9-3, on Sunday afternoon, securing a pivotal three-game series victory.
 
The Basics

• Final Score (Game 1): Coppin State 9, Maryland Eastern Shore 3
• Records: Coppin State (5-19, 3-3 MEAC), Maryland Eastern Shore (5-22, 2-7 MEAC)

How it Happened

• Maryland Eastern Shore took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second after taking advantage on a Coppin State throwing error but pitcher Madison Didion struck out the next batter to get out of the inning.
• The Eagles got the run back to tie the score in their half of the frame on a RBI single by Megan Narvaez.
• UMES retook a 2-1 lead with a home run in the third, but were struck out in order in the fourth before extending the lead to 3-1 in the fifth.
• Coppin finally got the bats going and also took advantage of two Hawk errors to score seven runs in the fifth and take an 8-3 lead. An error, single and a walk loaded the bases before Soraya Valdez-Frick drew a walk and Nia Bowe singled to tie the score at three.
• Narvaez gave the Eagles its first lead at 4-3 with a single through the left side before a fielder's choice and another error gave CSU two more runs. Patricia Soria provided the big hit with a two-run single, scoring Narvaez and Alexis Genovese.
• Valdez-Frick drove in another run in the eighth with a single to score Nicole Ullman and Didion retired the side in the ninth to earn the complete game win.

Inside the Numbers

• Soraya Valdez-Frick and Megan Narvaez both had two hits and two RBI while Valdez-Frick also drew a walk.  Nicole Ullman and Nia Bowe also had multi-hit games while Ullman scored twice.
• Madison Didion struck out ten batters while allowing just two earned runs on six hits in the victory.

Up Next

•  ​​​​​​​Coppin goes on the road for midweek doubleheaders against Fairleigh Dickinson (April 9) and George Mason (April 11) before a three-game series at MEAC rival Norfolk State on April 13-14.