BALTIMORE, Md. — Mercyhurst fell to Coppin State 14-4 on Saturday. Mercyhurst's
Zach Black contributed with a double, but the team was unable to overcome Coppin State's 14-hit performance.
Mercyhurst faced Coppin State in a challenging matchup that concluded with a 14-4 defeat. Coppin State took control early, scoring five runs in the first inning, highlighted by a three-RBI triple, giving them a 5-0 lead.
In the third inning, the Lakers responded with
Logan Koslin and
Riley Ames setting the stage for
Jayden Walker, who drove in two runs with a single, narrowing the gap to 5-2.
Coppin State added another run in the fourth, extending their lead to 6-2. The Lakers chipped away in the fifth as Walker doubled and later scored on a fielding error, making it 6-3.
Coppin State's offense surged again in the fifth inning, pushing across four runs, including a two-RBI double, increasing the advantage to 10-3. The Lakers added a run in the sixth, as
Ranciel Ventura scored on
Zachary Kourous' sacrifice fly, but Coppin State countered with three runs in their half, making it 13-4.
Coppin State tacked on a final run in the seventh inning, sealing a decisive 14-4 victory over the Lakers.
Nolan Kirsch pitched 0.2 innings while allowing five earned runs on two hits and issuing four walks, resulting in a WHIP of 30.00.
Nate Vargo provided some relief, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing five runs on eight hits, with two strikeouts and five walks across 80 pitches.
Cody Smith contributed an inning of work with three strikeouts, but allowed three earned runs on five walks.
Ryan Okopal pitched 1.1 innings, surrendering one run on four hits and issuing four walks while recording a double play. Overall, the Lakers pitchers combined for ten walks and allowed a total of 14 earned runs in the game.
Walker led the team with two hits and drove in two runs, including a double. Koslin showcased his defensive skills with four assists at third base. Ventura made an impact off the bench, scoring a run and notching a hit in his only plate appearance. Ames contributed a stolen base while scoring one of the team's runs.
In their next game, the Lakers will stay in Baltimore, Maryland, to face Coppin State at 12 p.m. ET Sunday, March 8.
