BALTIMORE – Coppin State's softball team matched a program-record with its seventh-straight MEAC victory with a doubleheader sweep of North Carolina Central University on Sunday afternoon at CSU Softball Complex. With a 3-0 victory and game one, and a 10-2 win in the nightcap, Coppin won all three games over the weekend against NCCU and improves to 11-24 overall and 8-10 in league play.
CSU also had a seven-game MEAC winning streak during the 2012 season.
Game 1: Coppin State def. NCCU, 3-0
Vanessa Carrizosa threw a five-hit shutout while striking out three batters to improve to 10-10 on the season. It was her 12
th complete game and second shutout of the season.
Playing in her final home game,
Brissa Alvarado got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first, driving in
Celeste Gonzales who reached on an error before stealing second to start the inning.
Carrizosa stranded a pair of Central players in the second after recording a 1-2-3 first, and Coppin scored another run in its half, on an error which scored senior
Avianna Peterson.
Xzylia Maravilla drove in another run in the third with a sacrifice bunt to give CSU a 3-0 lead and that was more than enough for Carrizosa.
Game 2: Coppin State def. NCCU, 10-2 (5 inn.)
Brissa Alvarado and
Aniyah Haley both had a pair of hits and combined for three doubles and five RBI. Alvarado,
Manaia Fonoti and
Seryna Esparza all scored two runs with the latter two recording a hit and a walk each.
Isabel Tobias picked up her first career win, throwing all five innings while giving up just two runs on three hits and striking out four.
NCCU got out to an early 1-0 lead, but Coppin quickly matched it as
Celeste Gonzales led off with a triple to right center before scoring on a wild pitch.
The visitors retook the lead with a solo home run in the second, but CSU erupted for four runs on four hits to take a 5-2 lead after the third. Alvarado doubled home Fonoti and Esparza after they got the rally started with a one-out single and a walk. After a single by
Xzylia Maravilla, Haley drove in both Alvarado and Maravilla with another double.
Tobias retired 11 of the final 12 batters she faced after the solo home run and Coppin finished the game off with a five-run fifth. Alvarado once again doubled to drive in another run, and both her and Esparza scored on the same wild pitch later in the inning. Haley then drew a walk before
Avianna Peterson singled. After a double steal, Haley scored as the throw to third went wild, and a sac bunt from
Brooklyn Tapusoa scored Peterson to win it in five.
Up Next
Coppin will travel to College Park for a single game at the University of Maryland at 6 pm on Wednesday, April 26. Fans can watch the Game on B1G Plus or follow along with live stats.
