CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | BRACKET | ESPN+
NORFOLK, Va., May 10, 2024 --- Saturday’s 2024 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Softball Conference Tournament Championship game will be a Battle of Baltimore showdown between No. 1 Morgan State University and No. 3 Coppin State University.
Game time is set for 12 p.m. at the NSU Softball Field and will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.
The No. 1 seed Morgan State came through the consolation bracket and will face the No. 3 seed Coppin State who enters championship Saturday from the champion's bracket with an undefeated record of 3-0 in the postseason tournament.
After the leadoff batter grounded the next two batters for the Eagles hit back-to-back doubles trading places and sending Kendall Smith across the plate for the first run. Makiya Graves advanced on a pass ball and came home on a single from Jaylah Barr. Imara Harrell doubled to right field to score Barr giving the Eagles a 3-0 advantage.
The Bears went 1,2,3 in the batting order before the Eagles returned to the plate only to leave Jaden Davis, who reached on a double to left center, stranded on the bases.
Morgan State found their way onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the second inning. Following a ground out by Melissa Paz, Mia Ewell and Gianna Ettore walked back-to-back putting runners on first and second. Ewell came home on a fielder's choice during Ky’Anah Lake’s at-bat while Ettore was sent back to the dugout. Lake rounded the bases to cross home plate after Anaya Hunte doubles to left center field before getting thrown out at third as the Bears trailed by one run, 3-2 heading into the third.
N.C. Central left a runner stranding on the bases in the top of the third inning while Morgan State carried the momentum from the previous at bat into the bottom of the third as the Bears hit three consecutive singles to load the bases for Paz’s plate appearance. Paz hit a single to left center field that drove in two runs with Amber Rivas and Ellie Bostedt crossing home plate giving the Bears the lead 4-3. Ewell stepped up to the plate and cranked a double to left center that drove in a third run putting MSU up 5-3 heading into the fourth.
The remainder of the game neither team was able to send a runner across home plate as both teams played solid defense throughout the remaining four innings.
Amber Rivas, Victoria Fletcher and Mia Ewell all recorded two hits in the game while Melissa Paz registered two RBI. Rookie Emily Raubuch recorded the win in the circle pitching 3.2 innings giving up no runs on one hit with three strikeouts.
For the Eagles, Makiya Graves and Jaylah Barr each recorded a pair of hits while also driving in one RBI each. Four NCCU players registered doubles in Smith, Graves, Harrell and Davis. In the circle Ashanti Eubanks received the loss throwing 2.1 innings and giving up all five runs.