SALISBURY, Md. – Coppin State got a pair of two-run home runs from
Brody Black and
Nathan Burdette but the Eagles were unable to hang on in a 6-5 loss at Maryland Eastern Shore on Thursday afternoon at Henry Parker Athletic Complex. The loss drops CSU to 11-18 overall and 4-6 in the NEC while the Hawks improve to 7-21 and 5-8 in league play.
Black finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, a walk and three runs batted in, adding a sacrifice fly in as well.
Brett Curran and
Jordan Hamberg each recorded a base hit and drew a pair of walks.
Angel Colon scored twice while going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.
Liam McCallum went the first 5.1 innings on the mound, allowing four runs on eight hits, but did not factor into the decision.
Nico Felber took the loss, giving up two runs on five hits in the next 1.1 innings before
Rashad Ruff retired all four batters he faced, striking out a pair.
Maryland Eastern Shore took the early lead with a solo home run in the first inning, and it remained a 1-0 ballgame until Coppin scored four runs in the fifth. After
Brian Nicolas singled, Colon reached on a fielder's choice before Burdette blasted his first home run of the season, giving Coppin a 2-1 lead. Curran then drew a walk before Black homered to deep center, extending the advantage to 4-1.
UMES got a run back in the bottom half of the inning before tying the score with two runs in the sixth.
Black gave Coppin back the lead with a sacrifice fly in the seventh, driving in Colon who had doubled to start the inning, but the Hawks got the run back, and added another in their half of the inning.
Both teams went down in order in the eighth, and Coppin left the bases loaded in the ninth with Colon, the potential tying run being thrown out at home with one out. Hamberg followed up with a single to load the bases with two outs before the side was retired.
The Eagles will look to tie the series when it faces the Hawks on Friday, April 7 in a 3 pm start.
