Coppin State University’s baseball team lost to LIU, 12-8, on April 18 at Joe Cannon Stadium in Hanover, Maryland. The Eagles allowed six runs over the final two innings, dropping their overall record to 7-26 and their Northeast Conference record to 7-13. The Sharks improved to 15-16 overall and 14-6 in league play.
The game saw strong performances from four Coppin State players who each recorded two hits. Angel Garcia and Nelson Grajales combined for five runs batted in and scored three runs themselves. Emilio Feliciano and Terrell Milliner also contributed with RBIs, while both Garcia and Grajales drew walks during the game.
Starting pitcher Dillon Kirksey gave up just three earned runs on six hits across seven innings, striking out four batters. Justin Ritz was charged with the loss after allowing six runs on two hits in just over an inning of relief work. Keith Wallace closed out the ninth by retiring both batters he faced.
The Eagles took an early lead for the second consecutive game with a four-run first inning that included RBI singles from Garcia, Grajales, Feliciano, and Milliner following a leadoff single by Noah Hogan. LIU responded with three runs in the second inning before tying it up in the third. Pedro Agosto scored on a wild pitch to restore Coppin’s lead in their half of the third inning and added another run in the fifth.
Despite holding an advantage into the late innings—bolstered by additional scores from Garcia’s triple and Grajales’ single—the Eagles could not hold off LIU’s comeback. In the eighth inning LIU narrowed Coppin’s lead before erupting for five more runs in the ninth frame by capitalizing on walks and hit batters as well as recording only two hits.
The series between Coppin State and LIU is scheduled to conclude at Joe Cannon Stadium at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 19.
