DOVER, Del. – The bottom half of the order combined for 11 base hits and 11 runs batted in as Coppin State's baseball team erupted for an 18-6 MEAC victory at Delaware State on Sunday afternoon at Bob Reed Field. With the win that ended after eight innings due to the mercy rule, the Eagles improve to 18-23 overall and stand alone in first place in the conference with a 14-10 mark in league play.
Corey Miley and
Mike Dorcean both had a team-high three hits apiece, which included a double, while scoring three times each and driving in a combined five runs to lead the way offensively.
Marcos Castillo and
Brian Nicolas also had multi-hit games with Castillo matching Dorcean, who also walked twice, with three RBI. Every CSU starter scored at least one run on the day.
Matt Perkins got the victory in relief of
Jordan Hamberg, tossing 6.0 innings while allowing just one run on six hits while striking out four.
Sam Batis struck out the side in the final inning of the series finale.
A wild first inning saw nine combined runs with Coppin recording five in the top half of the frame.
Wellington Balsley and
Josh Hankins drew back-to-back walks to start the game and Balsley scored as
Sebastien Sarabia reached on a fielder's choice before advancing on a throwing error. Castillo followed up with a two-run home run to left field to make it a 3-0 game. Miley then doubled and scored on a single from Dorcean, who later scored the fifth run on a wild pitch.
Delaware State cut the deficit to a single run in its half of the first and tied it up at 5-5 in the second before Coppin began to pull away in the middle innings.
Matt Day recorded a two-run double in the third before back-to-back doubles from Dorcean and Nicolas plated in three runs in the fourth, extending the advantage to 10-5.
The Hornets got a run back in the fourth before CSU scored eight unanswered runs to seal the game. Castillo tacked on an RBI single in the seventh and the Eagles put six runs on the board in the eighth which included 11 batters sent to the plate and three Hornets errors.
Coppin is scheduled to host Mount St. Mary's at Joe Cannon Stadium on Wednesday, April 27 at 3:00 pm.
