Morgan State defeats Coppin twice to earn second MEAC Softball Title

By Keith Henry

NORFOLK- The aggressiveness of the Morgan State Softball team was on full display this past Saturday afternoon. MSU jumped on the crosstown rival Coppin State Lady Eagles and never let go on their way to a 5-1 win in game one and a 6-0 victory in game two to clinch the MEAC Softball Tournament Championship at Norfolk State Softball Field.

 

Morgan State 5, Coppin State 1

 

The Lady Bears started attacking MEAC Pitcher of the Year Vanessa Carrizosa early in the count. That was the game plan of head coach Larry Hineline, which his team executed to perfection. Hineline said, “I told the girls that (Vanessa) likes to get the first pitch over. Go up there aggressively. (If) she gets ahead of you, she’s got great control. She works the corners real well. So go up there when she’s trying to get ahead and that’s what we did.”

 

It started in the top of the first when Elli Bostedt doubled to left center field. Then the Most Outstanding Player in Victoria Fletcher showed why she earned the honor by slapping an RBI single up the middle to drive in Bostedt and give the Lady Bears a 1-0 lead.

 

Morgan State added a single run in the second inning when after Ky’Anah Lake walked and stole second base, Aniyah Hunte stroked a single through the right side to drive home Lake. That extended the MSU advantage to 2-0.

 

The Lady Bears added another solo run in the top of the third when Fletcher sent Carrizosa’s first pitch over the left centerfield fence to give MSU a 3-0 lead.

 

Coppin State cut into the Lady Bear advantage in the bottom of the fourth when Giselle Ulloa grounded into a fielder’s choice. That scored Celeste Gonzales, making it 3-1 in Morgan State’s favor.

 

However, MSU would answer in the top of the fifth with a two-out rally. Mia Ewell started the party with a single to center. Then Giann Ettore promptly doubled down the left field line, driving in Ewell to make 4-1 Morgan State. Then Hunter Newman, who pinch hit for Lake, deposited another double down the left field line to drive in Ettore and capped the scoring at 5-1.

 

Hineline went to his closer Emily Raubuch in the fifth, who shut down the Lady Eagle bats the rest of the way, limiting them to just one hit in her two innings pitched to help the Lady Bears force a game two for the MEAC Championship.

 

Morgan State 6, Coppin State 0

 

In what turned out to be a master class type of move, Coach Hineline went to Raubuch to start the deciding game. Did it ever pay off big for Morgan State (35-18).

 

Raubuch not only outdueled Coppin State starter Emily Quintero, but she pitched a complete game, one-hit shutout. Emily struck out four Lady Eagles and walking none in her effort.

 

Emily has not allowed a run in the MEAC Tournament this year. In 21.2 innings, Raubuch has struck out 16 hitters and walked one.

 

Coppin State (23-22) may have made a lot of contact off of Raubuch in the game. However, the defense of Mia Ewell in center field was largely the difference. As the Lady Eagles sent drives to the fence a few times and the warning track on a couple more occasions. But Ewell made the plays that were needed to help her Lady Bears be successful on the day.

 

Morgan got on the board in the bottom of the first. It started when Amber Rivas doubled to right center field. Then Melissa Paz drove in Rivas it wide open in with a two-out single to center field to give MSU a 1-0 lead.

 

Then the Lady Bears busted it wide open in the fifth to put this game to rest. Bostedt led off with a single to center. Then after Mitchell pinch ran for Bostedt, Fletcher came through once again for the Lady Bears with a line drive RBI single to right to give them a 2-0 lead.

 

A little later on, Morgan State loaded the bases for senior Gianna Ettore. At that point, Coppin head coach Mercedes Hargett put in Carrizosa to help the Lady Eagles attempt to hold off a serious Morgan threat.

 

However, Ettore greeted Carrizosa’s first pitch like an early round Mike Tyson knockout blow, smashing it over the left field fence for a grand slam. That sent the Morgan State dugout and supporters into delirium as they were all dancing around the bases following that shot. Morgan pushed their advantage to 6-0.

 

“I told (Gianna) it’s bases loaded. Listen, we need a run here. I said you can’t take strike one,” said Hineline. “She got to go there swinging. She said Alright and got a pitch where she can hit and it was gone. I mean it was no doubt about it.”

 

Raubuch had a no-hitter going into the top of the seventh. However, Coppin’s Celeste Gonzales broke it up with a base hit to right center field, one out into the proceedings.

 

But after that, Manaia Fonoti flied out to left field and Seryna Esparza fouled out to first base to wrap up Morgan State’s second MEAC Softball Championship since 2021.

 

Morgan State will head to Durham, North Carolina to play #10 national seed Duke in the NCAA Softball Championship Regionals this Friday at 2:30 pm.