RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Playing one of the Nation's top teams in its season opener at defending WAC Champions California Baptist University, the Coppin State baseball team held its own but fell to the Lancers, 8-1 on Friday night at James Totman Stadium. The Eagles were outhit by a narrow, 9-8 margin.
Marcos Castillo had a multi-hit game with a single and a double in his first game back after missing all last season with an injury while
Jordan Hamberg drove in Coppin's lone run of the day with a single.
Wellington Balsley,
Sebastien Sarabia,
Brian Nicolas,
Tyler Lloyd and
Landen Argabright also had base knocks for Coppin.
After holding Cal Baptist scoreless over the first two innings with a strikeout and three groundouts,
Giovanni Canales allowed three runs in the third but also managed to strike out the side following a visit to the mound by pitching coach
Sean Repay.
Castillo led off the fourth with a standup double to left but was unable to advance and the Lancers made the Eagles pay. CBU had back-to-back singles and scored a run on a throwing error to start the fourth before Canales was relieved by junior transfer
Johan Freudenburg. Freudenburg managed to fan a pair of Lancers but two more CBU runners came in to score as California Baptist took a 6-0 lead.
Freudenburg tossed a 1-2-3 fifth inning and Coppin got on the board in the sixth with three singles. Lloyd led off the frame with a single up the middle before advancing on Balsley's single through the right side. Following a flyout, Hamberg shot a single to center field for the Eagles' lone run of the game.
The hosts got the run back in their half of the inning, and after CSU went down in order in the seventh,
Nico Felber retired the side in order in the bottom half. Castillo singled with two outs in the eighth but was left stranded before CBU tacked on another run in the eighth.
In his first career at-bat with two outs in the ninth, Argabright just missed a home run, doubling off the wall in left field. Nicolas then drew a walk, but the pair were two of seven Eagles left on base on the night.
Canales received the loss as he allowed five runs in 3.0 innings while striking out four. Freudenburg also struck out four in his three innings of relief while allowing a pair of runs. Felber also pitched well, allowing just one run with no walks in two innings and fanning three Lancers.
Sophomore
Tyler Nichol is scheduled to start on the mound for the Eagles as they take on the same Cal Baptist team at 8 pm Eastern on Saturday, February 19. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN+ or follow live stats at
www.coppinstatesports.com
