BALTIMORE, Maryland — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team won game one and dropped game two of their doubleheader on Saturday (April 6) against the Coppin State University Eagles.
On Saturday, The Shore (5-21, 2-6 MEAC) exceeded their win total of a year ago with 13 games left by winning their fifth contest of the season. They won four games out of 39 last season.
The Hawks won game one 4-3 behind a complete game from junior LeAnn Gingrich (Landisburg, PA). She finished the game without a strikeout, but had just two walks.
Eastern Shore manufactured their runs in the second and fourth innings. In the second inning, freshman Anissa Derifield (Woodbridge, VA) drove in the Hawks first run with an RBI single that brought senior Breana Florez (Houston, TX) in to score. Derifield and senior Kiana Peterson (Willingboro, NJ) executed a double steal later in the inning to make the score 2-1. The Eagles would tie the score in the bottom of the inning.
Two innings later after a Peterson walk, freshman Jordan Kelly (Bridgeton, NJ) hit a bullet off of the top of the left field fence to put runners on second and third. Junior Allison Gingrich (Landisburg, PA) laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Peterson. Senior Daeshia Jones (Teaneck, NJ) doubled down the left field line after that to score Kelly and give the Hawks a 4-2 advantage.
Coppin State would get a solo homerun in the sixth to close the gap to 4-3, but Eastern Shore held off their late rally to take game one.
The second game of the day was devoid of drama until the final inning. Maryland Eastern Shore trailed 5-1 heading into the final inning as only Jones had crossed home plate to that point.
Junior Kamryn Lanier (Chester, VA) started the seventh inning with a double. Kelly came up two batters later and drew a walk. Sophomore Stephanie Huff (Montoursville, PA) drove both of them home with a hit down the left field line, but she was thrown out at second on the play. Derifield drew a walk after that, but she got stranded there as the Eagles closed the game to take game two 5-3.
"I saw a lot of great things today in both games," head coach Karla Powell said. "We are still pushing towards the MEAC Tournament and I think I am seeing things that it takes for us to get there."
The Hawks and Eagles will finish their weekend series tomorrow (April 7) at noon.
For more information on Eastern Shore Athletics visit http://www.easternshorehawks.com/.
