Softball Associated Press

Barker tosses complete game in 2-1 Coppin State win

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Alyssa Barker tossed her 17th complete game of the season to lead Coppin State to a 2-1 victory over Savannah State in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) softball tournament elimination game Thursday afternoon at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

Coppin State (13-26 overall) made the most of its three hits. Alana Williams and Heather Josker had consecutive two-out RBI hits in the fifth inning that helped the Eagles advance in the tournament against either Florida A&M or Delaware State Friday at 10 a.m.

Trailing 1-0, Williams’ single back through the middle scored Candice Van Horn, who was hit by a pitch with two outs, with the tying run. Josker’s double in the gap scored Williams with the eventual winning run.

Barker flummoxed the Lady Tigers and limited them to five hits and one unearned run. Barker also struck out four batters for Coppin State to win her 10th game of the season.

Alexis Singleton led Savannah State with two hits. Amber Hallman scored in the second inning when she led off with a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a groundout.

After CSU took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning, the Lady Tigers had the potential tying run on base in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. They had two runners on base in the bottom of the fifth inning with one out. A doubleplay ended the threat. In the sixth inning, Savannah State had a runner thrown out trying to steal. In the seventh, SSU had a leadoff runner advance to second with one out.

Despite the threats, Barker was able to make key pitches when she needed to and get the Eagles out of an inning.