NORFOLK, Va. – After being edged, 2-1 in a pitcher’s duel in game one, Coppin State’s baseball team routed Norfolk State, 11-3 in the nightcap of a MEAC Saturday doubleheader at Marty Miller Field. The Eagles and Spartans are currently tied for first in the conference standings with identical 4-3 records in league play.
Coppin saw an offensive resurgence in game two, erupting for 11 base hits while taking advantage of drawing a whopping 14 walks. Wellington Balsley, Eimir Perez, Sebastien Sarabia, Josh Hankins and Mike Dorcean all had two-hit efforts with Balsley and Sarabia each drawing a pair of walks. Balsley also scored three runs in game two while Dorcean scored twice.
Marcos Castillo drove in three runs while Corey Miley drew three walks with Brian Nicolas and Toran Smith doing so twice.
Rashad Ruff picked up the win on the mound, striking out eight over 5.1 innings while giving up just three runs on five hits. Giovanni Canales closed out the game, allowing just on hit and fanning two in 1.2 innings.
Norfolk State took a 1-0 lead after the first inning but Ruff mowed down the Spartans in the middle innings, striking out two more in the second, the side in the third, and got a 1-2-3 fourth inning to keep it a one-run game.
The Eagles put a five spot on the board in the fifth with Nicolas laying down a sacrifice bunt to score Smith, tying the score at 1-1. Sarabia gave Coppin the lead with the single off the pitcher before a two-run single by Castillo. Castillo then stole second base and scored on an RBI single to left by Hankins.
Ruff threw a scoreless fifth and CSU added two more in the sixth as Sarabia drew a bases-loaded walk and Castillo lined a sacrifice fly to left.
Norfolk cut CSU’s lead to 7-3 in the sixth as Canales retired the final two batters of the inning, but the Navy & Gold sealed the win with another four runs in the seventh. After singling to lead off the frame, Hankins scored the first run of the inning on a passed ball and Balsley later doubled down the left field line to score Dorcean. Perez later doubled to score another run and he scored the final run on a wild pitch.
Tim Ruffino and Johan Freudenburg gave up just two combined hits in game one, but Norfolk took advantage of ten walks and scored both of its runs in the fourth inning to take a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles were able to get on the board in the sixth as Miley scored on a dropped fly ball off the bat of pinch-hitter Jordan Hamberg.
Courtesy: Coppin State Athletics
