HANOVER, Md. – Saint Peter's scored six runs in the ninth inning to defeat Coppin State's baseball team, 10-8 on Friday afternoon at Joe Cannon Stadium. The Eagles fell to 0-4 while the Peacocks moved to 1-4.
Bryce Thompson led the CSU offense, going 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI while
Anthony Divittorio and
Brody Black both had a base hit and two walks apiece. All three players were also hit by a pitch and
Kai Holm drove in a pair of runs.
Nico Felber got the start on the mound and gave up three runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings while striking out five.
John Neeld was credited with the loss, allowing six runs over 2.1 innings before
Reagan Rivera went the final inning.
The Peacocks got n the board early with two runs in the first inning, but Coppin matched that with two runs in its half of the frame. Divittorio started the inning by reaching on an error, and after a walk and a wild pitch, Divittorio scored on a groundout by Thompson.
Damon Gaither then drove a sacrifice fly to deep center to tie the game.
Felber settled down after the first, retiring 11 of the next 13 batters and keeping the Peacocks scoreless until the sixth. Coppin gave him the lead in the bottom of the fifth as Gaither grounded into a double play but scoring from third was Divittorio who once again reached on an error and got to third on singles from Black and Thompson.
A solo home run by Saint Peter's in the sixth tied the score and Neeld relieved Felber with two outs and forced a groundball to retire the side.
CSU scored twice in the sixth with two walks, a single and two hit batsmen to take a 5-3 lead, but once again SPU battled back and cut the deficit to 5-4 after the seventh.
Neeld retired five-straight before Coppin scored three in the eighth with Holm delivering the key blow with a two-run single to left to drive in Black and Thompson.
SPU got a double and a single to start the ninth, and after a wild pitch, scored its first run on a single. A fielder's choice scored another, followed by a single to make it an 8-7 score. After a pitching change with no outs, the Peacocks were successful on a sac bunt as the batter also reached on a fielder's choice. A bases-loaded walk tied the score at 8 and the visitors took the lead on a wild pitch. An RBI groundout gave the Peacocks an extra insurance run at 10-8.
Angel Colon was hit by a pitch to start the CSU half of the ninth and
Daniel Moore drew a walk.
Victor Alongi laid down a sac bunt to put the potential tying run into scoring position with one out, and SPU elected to intentionally walk Divittorio to load the bases. Black then flew out to shallow center and Thompson hit a groundball to short which was flipped to second for the final out of the game.
Coppin returns to action for the second game against Saint Peter's at 1:00 on Saturday, February 24 at Joe Cannon Stadium.
