BALTIMORE – Coppin State's softball team was edged in a pair of games at crosstown rival Morgan State on Saturday afternoon at Lois T. Murray Field. The Eagles dropped the opener, 5-3, and 5-0 in the nightcap.
Avianna Peterson scored a pair of runs,
Isabella Zalba drove in two runs and
Makayla Caballero recorded a pair of hits in game one.
Vanessa Carrizosa went the distance in the circle, allowing five runs while striking out five in 6.0 innings.
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Peterson scored from third as
Alexis Genovese reached on an error.
Morgan put four runs across in its half of the frame before the Eagles cut the deficit to 4-3 as Zalba found the gap in left center for a two-run double. Scoring on the play were Caballero and Peterson who were hit by a pitch and reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the frame.
The hosts were able to add to their lead with another run in the third and that's how the score stayed as both teams went scoreless over the last four innings. Coppin's best chance to score came in the fifth as Carrizosa drew a walk before Genovese singled. The duo was then successful on a double steal to put two runners in scoring position, but both were left stranded.
Carrizosa kept CSU in the game as she retired eight-straight Bears at one point which included a 1-2-3 fifth inning.
Shawnee Ronyak also threw a complete game in the nightcap, giving up just four earned runs on four hits over 6.0 innings. Carrizosa was the lone Eagles player to record a base hit and she also drew a walk, as did
Brissa Alvarado.
Morgan scored one in the first, two in the fourth, and one more in each of the final two innings.
CSU returns to action on Sunday, March 20 when it faces Morgan State in the series finale in East Baltimore.
