BALTIMORE – Coppin State's softball team swept a MEAC doubleheader from South Carolina State, winning game one, 14-0, and the nightcap, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon at the CSU Softball Complex. The Eagles improved to 14-12 overall and 9-2 in the MEAC while the Bulldogs fell to 5-22 on the year and 2-9 in league play.
Game 1: Coppin State def. South Carolina State, 14-0
Coppin got contributions from everyone in the lineup along with a three-hit shutout victory by
Vanessa Carrizosa who evened her record at 9-9 on the season.
Seryna Esparza led the offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI with a double.
Aniyah Haley, Giselle Ulloa and
Brooklyn Tapusoa all drove in two runs while
Celeste Gonzales went 2-for-2 with two runs and two walks.
Leslie Sereno and
Xzylia Maravilla both went 1-for-1 with two runs and two walks.
The Eagles scored in every inning, taking a 3-0 lead after the first on a two-run single by Ulloa followed by an RBI by Tapusoa on a fielder's choice.
Carrizosa got a 1-2-3 first and second inning and the Eagles added to their lead in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Haley. Maravilla scored on the play after doubling and advancing to third on the throw home.
South Carolina State got their first hit of the game with a one-out bunt single in the third but Carrizosa doubled up the next Bulldogs player on a lineout back her way.
CSU put together four hits and walked three times to score five in the third to take a 9-0 lead. Esparza led off with a double and later scored on a wild pitch. Ulloa easily scored on a triple by Tapusoa. Coppin extended the advantage to seven on a double steal featuring
Julianna Mejia taking second and Tapusoa crossing home. Sereno followed with a double to drive in Mejia and
Manaia Fonoti finished it off with an RBI groundout.
Carrizosa forced three groundouts to Mejia in the fourth and Coppin erupted for another five runs in the bottom half. The first run scored on a wild pitch before Haley's second sacrifice fly of the game. A fielding error allowed another run to score before Esparza drove in two more with a single to right.
The Bulldogs put two runners on in the fifth, but Carrizosa shut the door with a groundball to shortstop.
Game 2: Coppin State def. South Carolina State, 4-1
The nightcap was a pitcher's duel with Coppin giving starting pitcher
Emily Quintero a 1-0 lead with a run in the first. Gonzales scored the first run after drawing a one-out walk before scoring on a triple to the gap in left center by Fonoti.
South Carolina State led four runners on over the first two innings before scoring an unearned run in the third to tie the score.
Quintero kept the Bulldogs in check for the rest of the game and the Eagles struck for three runs on four hits in the sixth. Gonzales led off the frame with a single and gave the Eagles the lead following another triple by Fonoti. Esparza hit a deep fly ball to centerfield to drive in Fonoti on the sacrifice fly. Ulloa came back with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tapusoa.
Fonoti was the only Eagles player with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with two triples, a run scored and two RBI. Esparza finished 1-for-1 with a double, an RBI and a walk.
Quintero improved to 5-3 on the season, allowing no earned runs on seven hits.
Up Next: Coppin and South Carolina State wrap up their three-game series at 12:00 pm on Sunday, April 7.
