GAME 1

The Short Story:  Despite having more hits, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore softball team dropped their first MEAC contest of the season to Coppin State on Saturday afternoon as part of a doubleheader with the Eagles. CSU jumped out ot a 4-0 before UMES cut it to one. The Eagles would then extend and hold their lead for the 6-4 win.

THE GAME FACTS
Score: Coppin State 6, UMES 4
Location: Salisbury, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSU got on the board first with a delayed double steal home, putting the visitors up 1-0. With two outs and bases loaded in the second, the Eagles got a triple that scored all three baserunners already on a base, putting CSU up 4-0.
• With bases loaded and no outs, Kelsie Ekstrom hit a deep enough sacrifice fly to center field that allowed Nola Mountain to tag up from second to third and Jaycee Holt to score from third. The next two batters, Ameenah Ballenger and Ryan Merriwether eached help push a run across, cutting the CSU lead down to 4-3 after three complete. 
• After a scoreless fourth and fifth, the Eagles used a double and a triple, followed by a sacrifice fly of their own, to added two more runs to their total, putting them ahead 6-3. 
• With two outs and Paige Perkins on second, Morea Hodge hit a deep ball to center field that allowed Perkins to take the next two bags and cut into the Eagles lead, 6-4.
• Neither team was able to add to their total in the seventh as CSU claimed game one, 6-4

BY THE NUMBERS

• McKenzie Abiley went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Hawks.
• Six different UMES players collected a hit with four different getting an RBI
• Ballenger pitched the first six innings, striking out four and walking three.

GAME 2

The Short Story:  The Hawks got their satisfaction right away in game two as UMES came from behind to take the second game of the double header over the Eagles, 8-4.  

THE GAME FACTS
Score: UMES 8, Coppin State 4
Location: Salisbury, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• This time it was the Hawks who jumped out to a lead in the first. On just the second batter of the inning, Mountain would hit a hard ball, straight up the middle that scored a speedy Holt from second, putting UMES up 1-0. When the Eagles tried to get Ekstrom out going from first to second, Mountain crossed the plate to put the Hawks ahead 2-0. 
• The top of the second saw the Eagles use a single and double to put a runner on third before getting a sacrifice bunt that advanced both runners on base, including a run to touch home plate.
• The third inning saw CSU take the lead with a series of singles, a double and a triple that put three runs on the board, 4-2.
• UMES answered right away with two singles and a walk to load the bases. Back-to-back sacrifice flies by Ballenger and Merriwether saw the Hawks tie the score up at 4-4 after three complete innings. 
• After the scoreless fourth, UMES would retake the lead on a Merriwether single up the middle that scored Ekstrom who was on second after a walk and stolen base.
• The sixth was even better for the Hawks as they got three more runs on three hits, while also forcing a pitching change by the Eagles, as UMES led 8-4 after the frame.
• Coppin State was unable to plate any runs in the top of seventh to end the game with the Hawks claiming the 8-4 MEAC win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Both Holt and Mountain had a pair of hits in the game. Holt added two runs and three stolen bases while Mountain tagged on three runs and an RBI.
• The four sacrifice hits/flies was the most in a single game this season for the Hawks with Logan Webster, Abiley, Ballenger and Merriwether all collecting one.
• Kylee Lehman (3-7) pitched the first six innings with three walks and a strikeout in a win.

UP NEXT

• The Hawks play the rubber game of the MEAC series with Coppin State on Sunday at 12 p.m. at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury.