NORFOLK, Va. – Seryna Esparza hit a walk-off single to center field, sending Coppin State's softball team to the MEAC Championship Game for the second-straight season with a 4-3 ten-inning victory over NC Central on Thursday night at NSU Softball Field. The Eagles improved to 23-20 on the season, breaking a single-season school-record for wins.
The Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, May 11 on ESPN+ as 12:00 pm. A second game will be played at 3 pm if necessary.
Esparza finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBI while
Aniyah Haley, who scored the winning run and doubled twice, and
Manaia Fonoti had three hits apiece.
Vanessa Carrizosa improved to 15-14 on the year, allowing just three runs on seven hits in 10.0 innings for her NCAA-leading 24
th complete game.
Haley led off the tenth inning with a double over the head of the center fielder. Haley advanced to third as the outfielder misplayed it.
Celeste Gonzales was then hit by a pitch and advanced to second on defensive indifference with nobody out. After a groundout, Esparza lined a shot into center field as the pandemonium began.
After a pair of scoreless innings, Coppin put a three-spot on the scoreboard in the third with a pair of fielding errors allowing
Emily Quintero and Haley to reach base. Gonzales reached on a fielder's choice as NCCU got the lead runner out at third for the second out. Fonoti then singled up the middle and Haley avoided the tag at home for the first run of the game. Esparza followed with a two-run single to left but was thrown out at second.
NC Central was quick to respond with a two-run home run in the fourth before Carrizosa and NCCU's Jaden Davis continued their pitcher's duel.
Carrizosa faced the minimum in the fifth, helped by a double play ball, and allowed just a leadoff walk in the sixth. NC Central got back-to-back singles to start the seventh and a one-out walk to load the bases before tying the game with a bloop single.
With the score tied at three and two outs, Central lined a shot to left field but All-MEAC performer
Brooklyn Tapusoa made a diving catch to keep the game tied going into the bottom half.
Tapusoa drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh and got to second a bad throw by Davis trying to force the runner out at second. Quintero beat out a bunt single to load the bases with no outs, however a shallow flyout and a 5-2-3 double play allowed NC Central to escape and go into extra innings.
Carrizosa tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the eighth and ninth and allowed just a single in the tenth before CSU won it in walk-off fashion.
