Softball Takes Two From Coppin State
GAME ONE I GAME TWO
BALTIMORE – Racking up 28 hits in Saturday's doubleheader, the University at Albany softball team overcame Coppin State 8-0 in five innings and 9-4 at CSU Softball Complex. With the wins, the Great Danes improved to 24-11 on the season, while the Eagles fell to 2-24 overall.
“Celeste did a nice job today pitching both ends of the doubleheader,” said Head Coach Chris Cannata. “We have several kids out sick, so we needed to shift the lineup around quite a bit and everyone did a nice job filling in. We need to use these next few non-conference games to get ourselves back on track for next weekend and playing like I know we are capable of.”
Freshman hurler Celeste Verdolivo (11-4) earned both wins, tossing a three-hit shutout with four strikeouts in game one. In the nightcap, the rookie held the Eagles to four runs and 11 hits, while striking out seven.
Offensively, the Great Danes totaled 12 hits in the opener led by sophomore Donna Conrad, senior Maggie Cocks, freshman Chelsea Henige, and freshman Sarah Petzold who each went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Conrad quickly put the Danes on the board, blasting a leadoff home run in the top of the first. Senior Kelly Costello followed with a double to center and scored on Cocks' RBI single through the right side for a 2-0 head start.
In the third, Cocks belted a two-run homer over the centerfield fence, giving UAlbany a 4-0 advantage.
While Verdolivo shut the Eagles' offensive game down, the Great Danes got the bats going in the top of the fifth, scoring four runs for an 8-0 lead. Costello led off with a walk, and Snow, Henige, Lindsey Haskell, and Petzold strung together four singles before Coppin State could end the side.
In game two, UAlbany matched its season-high with 16 hits as a team. Conrad (3-for-5) and Haskell (3-for-3) each knocked three, while Snow (2-for-3), Henige (2-for-3), and Petzold (2-for-3) also recorded multiple hits in the victory.
The Great Danes struck first in the top of the second, scoring three runs. With two-outs, Petzold and junior Kayla Bailey knocked back-to-back RBI triples, and Conrad capped the frame with an RBI single up the middle.
The Eagles got one run back in the bottom of the second on Hayley Hayes' run-scoring double.
However, UAlbany continued to stretch its lead, scoring two in the third for a 5-1 advantage. Cocks led off the inning with an infield single and Snow knocked her in with a triple to center. Snow crossed the plate on Haskell's sacrifice fly to right.
In the fifth, the Danes added two more runs to take a six-run lead, 7-1. Loading the bases with one out, Samantha Broking plated Snow with a sac fly to center and Petzold's single through the right side brought home Henige.
For the rest of the way, the squads traded single runs back-and-forth, starting with the Eagles' run in the bottom of the fifth on three hits.
However, Conrad got the run back for UAlbany in the top of the sixth with a solo blast over the right field wall, making the score 8-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Coppin State used two doubles to make it 8-3, but again UAlbany had an answer as Henige belted a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh.
The Eagles looked to rally in their final at-bats, scoring one on Kimberlynn Brown's RBI single, but that would be it as Verdolivo recorded a strikeout to end the game.
UAlbany and Coppin State close out their four-game series on Sunday with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
