Hornets stopped by Eagles in series finale
DOVER, Del. --- Delaware State could not overcome an early six-run deficit in an 8-6 MEAC North loss to Coppin State at Soldier Field on Sunday.
The Eagles won two of the three games in the series to improve to 6-12 overall and 4-2 in the MEAC. The Hornets fell to 11-8 and 3-3.
William Brown and Jeff Fitch and two hits and two hits and three runs batted in each to lead Coppin State’s 12-hit attack.
David Kimbrough and Mike Alexander each had three hits and two RBI for DSU, which also collected 12 hits.
Coppin State started quickly, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. Darien Percell singled in the first run and Brown smacked a two-run homer to account for CSU’s first inning scores.
The Eagles added two runs in the top of the second inning to open up a 5-0 lead.
Delaware State cut into the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the second.
DJ Miller doubled to lead off the inning and scored the Hornets’ first run when Mitchell Moore followed with a single to center. Kimbrough drove in the second run on a two-out double to score Eddie Sorondo, who reached base on a fielder’s choice.
Coppin State tacked on three runs in the fourth, highlighted by Fitch’s two-run single, to open up an 8-2 lead.
The Hornets answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull to within 8-5. Alexander had a two-run single and Kimbrough singled in the third run of the inning.
Delaware State cut the Eagles’ lead to 8-6 with a run in the fifth. Aaron Nardone walked to lead off the inning and later scored on a suicide squeeze bunt by Miller.
The Hornets put runners on base in each of the next three innings, but failed to score. DSU left 11 on base and was plagued by four errors in the contest.
Coppin State reliever Dillon O’Brien pitched five shutout innings to earn the win. O’ Brien allowed four hits and struck out five after entering the game in the fifth inning.
Starter Bobby Brown suffered the loss for DSU. Brown surrendered eight hits and seven runs, six earned, in three innings to fall to 1-1 this season.
Zach Candeloro kept the Hornets in the game with an impressive stint out of the bullpen. Candeloro allowed two hits and struck out a career-best six batters in five shutout innings. He struck out the side in the Coppin State ninth.
Kimbrough’s three hits raised his season average to .519 (27-for-52), while Miller had two hits in four at bats to improve to .474 (27-for-57).
The Hornets return to action on Wednesday (Mar. 26) at home against La Salle. Game time is 3 p.m. at Soldier Field.
For complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
FAMU-NCCU Game suspended in second inning
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Heavy rain forced the suspension of Sunday’s baseball series finale between Florida A&M University and North Carolina Central at Moore-Kittles Field, with the visiting Eagles leading 6-0 with two outs in top of second inning.
The game may be completed later in the season, especially if seeding for the May MEAC Baseball Tournament could be affected.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.nccueaglepride.com
Bethune-Cookman Caps Central Connecticut State Series with a Shutout Victory
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (13-12) wrapped up the Central Connecticut State (4-5) series on a high note Sunday, earning the first shutout victory of the season with 13 hits behind yet another strong outing by starter Montana Durapau at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Slow but steady, the Wildcats went to work early, putting up their first run in the bottom of the second inning, as center fielder Jake Welch powered a single up the middle to bring Bryant Munoz home.
In the bottom of the fifth, Josh Johnson got the Wildcats started with a leadoff single to shallow left field. The junior right fielder stole second and advanced to third on a pickoff error by CCSU catcher Connor Fitzsimons. Johnson came home on a wild pitch from starter Nick Neumann. After consecutive singles from Eric Sams and Matt Noble, left fielder Eros Modena lined an RBI single just beyond the shortstop’s reach into left field, sending Sams to the plate and the B-CU advantage to 3-0.
In the seventh, Noble logged a one-out double down the third base line and Jordan Robinson took a first-pitch RBI single through the left side to bring Noble in and cap the B-CU scoring with a 4-0 lead.
Durapau (5-0) collected another win, this time on an eight-inning four hitter, striking out six CCSU batters. John Sever took over pitching duties in the ninth, holding the line and securing the shutout with a 1-6-3 double play to close out the game.
For the Blue Devils, starter Neumann (0-1) takes the loss, throwing six innings and allowing three runs, while striking out seven Wildcats.
At the plate, Sams and Modena each batted 3-for-4 on the day, with an RBI for Modena and a run scored for Sams.
The Wildcats will not be in action on Tuesday, but return to the diamond on Wednesday (March 26) with a return-game road trip to UCF in Orlando. The Wildcats topped the Knights, 5-2, on March 4 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The Knights (13-12) completed a three-game conference sweep of Cincinnati on Sunday with a 5-1 win in Orlando.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Ellis’ walk-off RBI lifts Norfolk State past UMES
NORFOLK, Va. – Cody Ellis hit the walk-off RBI single with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, completing the Spartans’ rally as Norfolk State edged Maryland Eastern Shore 7-6 on Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
The win gave the Spartans (6-16, 3-3 MEAC) the victory in the rubber game of the weekend MEAC series with UMES (4-14, 2-4).
NSU never led in the game until scoring the winning tally in the ninth. Trailing 6-5 entering the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitter Killian Strenn hit a one-out double off UMES reliever Chipper Smith and scored the tying run when Ross Cardwell followed with a double of his own. Smith then walked Zach Markel to put runners on first and second bases, and the Hawks opted to bring in Bernard Parker on the mound. But Ellis greeted Parker with a flare down the left-field line that easily scored pinch runner Noah Johnson from second with the winning run.
The Hawks controlled things most of the way against the Spartans. UMES scored three times in the third and two more in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. In the third, Justin Dattilo hit an RBI single and Connor Breslin added an RBI double to highlight the inning. In the fifth, Joshua James’ two-out, two-run single pushed the Hawks’ advantage to 5-0.
NSU, held without a hit in the first four innings by UMES right hander Will Turley, finally broke through in the fifth. Singles by Cameron Day, Cardwell and Justin Burrell, coupled with a trio of Hawk errors, allowed NSU to push across five runs and tie the game. Ellis, Justin Lee and Chase Kyriacou had RBI in the inning.
But the Hawks answered in the top of the sixth and quickly retook the lead. Stephen Bull and Mike Escanilla led off with consecutive singles and Byron Campbell walk to load the bases. Dattilo followed with a sacrifice fly to score Bull with the go-ahead run, though Josh Vales, the third Spartan pitcher of the game, got out of the jam without further damage.
That would prove to be key as Vales and winning pitcher Devin Hemmerich combined to pitch four scoreless innings of relief to keep the Spartans within striking distance. UMES out-hit NSU 13-7, but the Hawks stranded 13 runners on base.
Hemmerich (1-2) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. He allowed two hits and struck out two. Hemmerich pitched five scoreless innings in the series, earning a save and a win against the Hawks.
Smith (0-4) took the loss, allowing two runs and three hits in 3.2 innings.
Escanilla was 3-for-4, while Campbell, Breslin and James had two hits each for the Hawks.
Cardwell was 2-for-5 for NSU.
The Spartans host William & Mary at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com or www.umeshawks.com
Aggies remain in first with 4-3 win over Savannah State
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Right-hand reliever Brian Poag pitched the Aggies out of trouble in the seventh inning. He then held Savannah State, the defending MEAC champion, at bay over the next two innings to keep the North Carolina A&T baseball team in first place in the MEAC Southern Division with a 4-3 win at Tiger Field on Sunday.
The Aggies (11-12, 6-3 MEAC) have now taken two out of three from all three MEAC opponents they have faced this season. The Aggies used a productive seventh inning to give themselves a cushion. With Brandon Wilkerson and Dylan Hipp on second and third respectively, Savannah State right-hand reliever Ryan Doyle struck out senior A&T slugger Luke Tendler for the first out of the inning.
In an attempt to avoid the big bat that hits behind Tendler in Cameron Jergens, Doyle intentionally walked Jergens to pitch to what was scheduled to be Lester Salcedo. But instead, head coach Joel Sanchez decided to his bench to pinch-hit for Salcedo with Micah Carmony. Carmony, who is coming off of an injury, rewarded his coach’s decision by hitting an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Hipp to give the Aggies a 3-1 lead.
Doyle loaded the bases again by hitting catcher Stefan Jordan with a 3-2 pitch. Ryan Hill provided the Aggies with a 4-1 lead with an infield single that scored Wilkerson.
Right-hand Aggies starter Mitchell McQueen came out for the seventh and walked Lee Moore and Zachary Brigham to put the tying run at the plate in Kevin Herlihy. Herlihy singled to center to score Moore to get the Tigers to within two runs. Poag would then replace McQueen after McQueen went six innings, recorded four strikeouts, two walks and gave up two runs on five hits.
After getting Devin Jackson to pop out, Poag was faced with runners on second and third after a pitch got by Jordan behind the plate. But Poag got Todd Hagen to pop out to end the Tigers’ threat.
The Tigers inched closer however when Mendez Elder led off the eighth with a home run to make it a one-run game at 4-3. After retiring the next two batters, Moore singled to put the tying run on base. Poag again pitched out of a rough circumstance by striking out Parker Nix to close out the eighth.
The Tigers (8-15, 2-7 MEAC) went down in order in the ninth to put the Aggies in excellent position in the standings after taking their second straight MEAC road series. Ernesto Lizardi led the Aggies with two RBI. His two-run RBI single in the fourth gave the Aggies an early 2-0 lead for McQueen who improved to 3-3 on the season. Hill added two hits.
A&T returns to action Tuesday when they face cross-town rival UNC Greensboro in their annual contest at NewBridge Bank Park in downtown Greensboro. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. They will then host Florida A&M in a three-game conference series at War Memorial Stadium starting with a 1 p.m., Saturday doubleheader.
For complete story, visit www.ncataggies.com or www.ssuathletics.com