Coppin State Softball Rallies for Win in Series Opener Against Howard

BALTIMORE – Coppin State’s softball team rallied for five runs in the sixth to defeat Howard University, 6-4 in the first game of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon. After falling, 11-3 in the nightcap, the Eagles now stand at 4-13 overall and 1-4 in the MEAC while the Bison move to 9-16 on the year and 2-3 in league play.

Game 1: Coppin State def. Howard, 6-4

Celeste Gonzales and Avianna Peterson both had a pair of hits and combined for four RBI while Brissa Alvarado and Aniyah Haley each drove in a run. Alvarado also drew a pair of walks while Brooklyn Tapusoa scored twice.

Vanessa Carrizosa went the distance in the circle, allowing just three earned runs on six hits.

After a scoreless first, Howard took the early lead with a pair of runs in the second before Coppin got on the board with an RBI single from Alvarado in the third, driving in Tapusoa who reached on a three-base error.

Carrizosa escaped a jam unscathed in the fourth and tossed a 1-2-3 fifth before giving up just a hit in the sixth to keep it a one-run game.

Seryna Esparza led off the CSU sixth with a single before being moved to second on a sac bunt from Xzylia Maravilla. After a groundout, Peterson tied the score with an RBI single before Gonzalez took Howard deep to centerfield just beyond the outstretched arms of the outfielder. The ball bounced to the wall and Gonzalez raced all the way home for a three-run inside-the-park home run, giving Coppin a 6-2 lead.

Howard scored a pair of runs in the seventh on a hit and an error before Carrizosa got the final batter to flyout, sealing the win.

Game 2: Howard def. Coppin State, 11-3

Celeste Gonzales drove in another two runs with a triple while Brissa Alvarado and Manaia Fonoti added base hits. Avianna Peterson drew a pair of walks while Isabel Tobias took the loss in a complete game.

The Bison scored five in the first, a run in both the second and third and three in the fourth to take a 9-0 lead. Tobias threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning to keep CSU alive and the Eagles rallied for three in the bottom half to extend the game.

Vanessa Carrizosa and Peterson led off the frame with walks before Gonzalez drove in both runs with a triple to right field, cutting the deficit to 9-2. Dillon Morgan then laid down a sac bunt which scored Gonzales to make it a six-run game.

Howard extended the lead back to eight with a two-run sixth with four base hits, putting the possible run-rule back into effect.

Fonoti tripled down the line in right but was stranded there despite a walk and stolen base from Peterson.

Up Next

Coppin returns to action on Tuesday, March 28 when it travels to Mount St. Mary’s for a 3 pm doubleheader.