BALTIMORE – Coppin State's softball team extended its winning streak to five games with a doubleheader sweep of Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon at CSU Softball Complex. The Eagles (7-17, 6-8 MEAC) blanked the Spartans, 16-0, in game one before rallying for an 11-9 victory in the nightcap. Prior to the game, CSU recognized its four seniors:
Natasha Arroyo, Aniyah Haley, Xzylia Maravilla and
Brooklyn Tapusoa, as well as NSU senior,
Maya Johnson.
Game 1: Coppin State def. Norfolk State, 16-0
Coppin scored 16 runs on a season-high 16 hits in a five-inning rout. The 16 runs were the most scored by the Eagles since a 21-10 victory at Maryland Eastern Shore on April 10, 2022.
Debra Hyde threw a one-hit shutout while striking out a pair of batters and retired ten-straight batters at one point. After a one-out double by the Spartans in the first, Hyde did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning on a fielding error, but she was promptly caught stealing second.
The Eagles got offensive contributions from everyone in the lineup with
Leslie Sereno leading the way with a 3-for-3, five RBI effort.
Giselle Ulloa also had three hits and a pair of RBI while
Natasha Arroyo led five other Eagles with two hits apiece, driving in four runs.
Coppin got the party started with a four-run first inning, smacking six base hits.
Julianna Mejia, who drew four walks without recording an at-bat, drove in the first run with a bases-loaded walk following three-straight singles from
Emily Quintero, Ulloa and
Brooklyn Tapusoa. Sereno drove in two with a single up the middle and scored on a single to center by Arroyo.
The Eagles scored five more in the second as Ulloa and Sereno drove in two each with extra-base hits. Haley also singled home
Xzylia Maravilla following her infield single.
After a scoreless third, Coppin put the game away with seven runs in the fourth.
Brooklyn Lee-Scott and Quintero converted on a successful double steal from first and third to score the first run. Tapusoa lined a shot to center for a two-run double before scoring on another base knock from Sereno. Maravilla was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Arroyo cleared them by finding the gap in left center for a three-run double.
Game 2: Coppin State def. Norfolk State, 11-9
Coppin overcame a 4-0 and 8-5 deficit to complete the doubleheader sweep and put them in contention for a MEAC Tournament spot.
Sondra Berry went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI while
Leslie Sereno had another two hits and two RBI as every Eagles player recorded at least one base hit.
Debra Hyde threw the first inning and allowed four runs before
Brooklyn Lee-Scott went the final 6.0 innings, allowing five runs while striking out four.
After falling behind 4-0, Coppin took its first lead of the game with a five-run second inning.
Julianna Mejia and Sereno started the frame with singles, and the bases were loaded following an error when Berry put the Eagles on the board with a two-run double.
Kylee Sandino followed up with a two-run double of her own before scoring on a groundout by
Emily Quintero.
NSU came right back with four runs in the third to take a three-run lead and Coppin just one back in its half of the inning on Lee-Scott's single off the pitcher, driving in
Brooklyn Tapusoa who doubled to start the frame.
Lee-Scott held the Spartans scoreless over the next three innings, retiring the side in order in the fourth before the Eagles erupted for five runs in the sixth to take a 11-8 lead.
Aniyah Haley led off the inning with a home run to centerfield, and an error allowed
Giselle Ulloa to tie the score at eight after her double and a single from Tapusoa.
Sereno put the Eagles on top as her single took a wicked hop past the shortstop, scoring both Tapusoa and Mejia. Sereno scored the team's final run as Berry singled and got all the way to third following a throwing error.
NSU threatened with a run on two hits in the seventh before Lee-Scott retired the final two batters.
Up Next: The Eagles will look to complete a three-game sweep of the Spartans at 12 pm on Sunday, April 12.
