NORFOLK, Va. – Coppin State's softball team won its opening game of the MEAC Tournament, 6-4 over Howard on Wednesday morning at NSU Softball Team. It was the first time that the Eagles (13-26) won their first game at the MEAC Tournament.
With the victory, Coppin moves on to play top-seeded Morgan State at 3:00 pm on Wednesday, May 10.
Manaia Fonoti went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI while
Seryna Esparza also had a multi-hit game, recording a double, an RBI, a run scored and a walk.
Celeste Gonzales, Brissa Alvarado, Aniyah Haley and
Xzylia Maravilla also drove in runs with Alvarado also drawing a walk.
Coppin stole a season-high eight bases, which is the most steals by the Eagles in a game in at least a decade.
Avianna Peterson stole three bases while Haley and
Brooklyn Tapusoa had two each. Gonzales had the other.
Vanessa Carrizosa improved to 12-12 on the season with a complete game victory. The Third Team All-MEAC selection allowed just one earned run on eight hits.
After both teams went scoreless in the first, Haley drove in the first run of the game as a groundball was misplayed by the second baseman. Peterson scored on the play after drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second before not hesitating to score on the error.
The Eagles got through the Howard part of the second with a double play for the second-straight inning, before adding two more runs in the third. Gonzales opened the third with a single before stealing second and getting to third a bunt single by Fonoti. Esparza drove in Gonzales with a double to the gap in right center, and she scored on a base knock by Alvarado.
Carrizosa breezed through the third and held HU scoreless in the fourth and fifth.
Coppin took advantage of three Bison errors to score three in the sixth, extending its lead to 6-0. Maravilla, Gonzales and Fonoti all drove in runs during the inning.
Howard scored four in its half of the sixth, cutting the deficit to 6-4, but Carrizosa threw a 1-2-3 seventh to seal the win.
