GREENSBORO, N.C. – Coppin State's baseball team put the potential winning run on base in the seventh inning but fell to North Carolina A&T, 4-2 in the nightcap of a MEAC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium. The Eagles also dropped game one to the Aggies, 8-0.
In the final inning of game two, Coppin faced A&T's top reliever Evan Gates and
Justin Oakley led off by reaching on an error. After a pair of outs,
Eddie Javier, Jr., reached on a single and
Conner Walker drew a walk to load the bases. The Eagles were then retired to end the game.
CSU got out to an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the opening inning as
Brandon Watkins singled to open the game and scored on a double down the line by
Darren Hagan. Hagan later scored on a sacrifice fly by Walker.
North Carolina A&T answered with three runs in its half of the inning but starting pitcher
Tyler Nichol held the Aggies scoreless over the next three innings before the hosts added an insurance run via a wild pitch in the fifth.
Matt Perkins threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning for the Eagles, but Coppin stranded nine runners over the final six innings, including leaving the bases loaded twice.
Coppin outhit the Aggies, 6-3, getting hits from six different players while Walker drew a pair of walks.
In the loss, Nichol allowed just four runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Toran Smith was the lone Coppin player to record a hit in the opener while Javier, Walker and
Grant Williams reached via walks.
William Jackson took the loss, allowing five runs over the first 3.1 innings.
John Neeld finished the game by allowing one run over the final 2.2 innings.
Coppin wraps up the season on Saturday, May 15 with a 12 pm single game at North Carolina A&T.
