ERIE, Pa. – Coppin State's baseball team split a doubleheader at Mercyhurst to open Northeast Conference play on Friday afternoon. The Eagles (3-9, 1-1 NEC) dropped game one, 1-0, before taking the nightcap, 3-2.
Game 1: Mercyhurst def. Coppin State, 1-0
Reagan Rivera got the start for Coppin and was in a pitcher's duel throughout as he took a hard-luck loss by allowing just one run on one hit while striking out five in 6.0 innings.
Justin Ritz threw the final 2.0 innings and struck out another five while giving up just one hit.
Samuel Nieves,
Daniel Moore and
Jayden Asencio had the only base hits for the Eagles while
Anthony Divittorio drew a pair of walks and
Derek Blackmore reached on another.
Mercyhurst got on the board in the third on an RBI groundout and that was all the Lakers would need. The top of the first and second for Coppin was stalled by double plays and the Eagles put three runners into scoring position but to no avail.
Ritz replaced Rivera to start the seventh and struck out a pair before fanning the side in the eighth to keep the game in reach.
Game 2: Coppin State def. Mercyhurst, 3-2
Luke Corcoran threw 6.2 innings of relief, allowing one run while scattering eight hits and striking out six.
Justin Ritz picked up the save by tossing the final 2.1 innings, giving up just one run on one hit.
Indy Anderson had a pair of hits while scoring one and driving in another.
Jayden Asencio drove in a pair of runs with a single and also drew a walk.
Corcoran relieved
Michael Matthews in the bottom of the first, coming into the game with the bases loaded and no outs. He proceeded to strike out the next three batters to escape the frame.
Coppin threatened in the second with a pair of hits but was unable to capitalize before Mercyhurst took the lead in its half of the inning. After a scoreless third, the Eagles scored three in the fourth on an RBI single by Anderson, followed by a two-run single by Asencio which drove in
Daniel Moore and Anderson.
Corcoran stranded five Lakers over the next four innings before being replaced by Ritz with two outs in the seventh. Ritz forced a flyout to end the inning before giving up a run in the eighth and getting a 1-2-3 ninth.
Up Next: The series will conclude on Sunday, March 9 in a 12 pm start at Mercyhurst Baseball Field.
