Morgan State To Host Rival Coppin State For MEAC Series Finale This Weekend

Lady Bears Look To Set School Records Against Eagles

BALTIMORE, Md. (April 27, 2018)-The Morgan State softball team returns to action this weekend when it hosts crosstown rival Coppin State in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) series finale for both teams at Lois T. Murray Field.

The Lady Bears and Eagles will square off with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m., before closing out the series on Sunday at noon. It will be the first time the Lady Bears will host Coppin State at home, since 2014.

Sunday's game will mark 'Senior Day' for three Lady Bear players (Danielle Pitpit, Anissa Morales and Amy Begg), who will play in their final home contest at Morgan State.

Morgan State (25-14, 13-2 MEAC), winners of three straight and 15 of its last 16 games, will look to close out the regular season series on a high note with several history making feats on the line. The Lady Bears enter the weekend one win away from setting the school record and surpassing the 25 wins set by the 1998 team.

A series sweep would without question give the Lady Bears their first-ever MEAC Northern Division crown, while giving the Lady Bears 16 MEAC victories, tying the 1998 team (16-0) for the most in school history. It would also give Morgan State five consecutive sweeps over league opponents.

"The constant in those four sweeps was the pitching," said Morgan State head coach Larry Hineline. "So, if you bring out good pitching out every time, you're going to be in every ballgame and then the offense of course has to get some timely hits. But the pitching and defense was really there throughout all this. It's not a surprise that we won those sweeps because we brought the ingredients."

The Lady Bears have been paced by junior outfielder Damali Young, who is batting a team-leading .401, while also leading the team in hits (55), runs (41), total bases (80) and stolen bases (22). Young ranks first in the MEAC in hits, second in run, third in doubles (14) and total bases, fifth in stolen bases and sixth in batting average. Young, who set the school's record for career stolen bases earlier this season with 79, surpassing the previous mark of 78, currently has 92 career stolen bases.

Fellow junior outfielder Giselle Alvarez is second on the team in batting average (.357), runs (39), hits (41), doubles (6) and stolen bases (14). Alvarez leads the team with 20 walks and is tied with Young for the team lead in home runs (3). Alvarez is ranked second in the MEAC in triples (4) and third in runs scored (39).

On the mound the Lady Bears have been led by senior Amy Begg, who ranks second in the league in ERA (2.19) and fourth in strikeouts (99). Begg is 13-6 on the season with a save and six shutout victories in 134.1 innings pitched. She broke five school records this season, becoming the career leader in shutouts (13), wins (49), appearances (114), innings (582.3) and strikeouts (457).

Sophomore pitcher Stephanie Rundlett is 12-7 on the season with two shutout victories. She has thrown 96 strikeouts in 119.2 innings of work and ranks fourth in the MEAC in ERA (2.69) and fifth in strikeouts.

Coppin State (12-20, 8-6 MEAC) enters the series sitting in fourth-place in the northern division. The Eagles are coming off a series loss to Hampton last week, dropping two of the three games at home.

Nia Bowe has led the Eagles with a .409 batting average, 38 hits, nine home runs, 31 RBI, 75 total bases and is 5-for-5 in stolen bases. Bowe has also added 24 runs, six doubles and two triples.

Madison Didion has totaled a 12-8 record with 18 complete games, a shutout victory and an ERA of 3.89. She has thrown 141 strikeouts in 138.2 innings pitched.

"It's definitely a great feeling," said Morgan State senior catcher Anissa Morales on the Lady Bears' opportunity to set the school record for wins this weekend against rival Coppin State. "We work hard and strive to get to our goal of winning MEAC. This is our year. Bear Down!"

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Players Mentioned

#13 Giselle Alvarez: OF; 5' 1"; Sophomore

#24 Amy Begg: P; 6' 2"; Junior

#55 Danielle Pitpit: 2B; 5' 1"; Junior

#22 Damali Young: OF; 5' 2"; Sophomore

#2 Anissa Morales: C; 5' 2"; Junior

#7 Stephanie Rundlett: P; 5' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#13 Giselle Alvarez
: 5' 1"; Sophomore
: OF

#24 Amy Begg
: 6' 2"; Junior
: P

#55 Danielle Pitpit
: 5' 1"; Junior
: 2B

#22 Damali Young
: 5' 2"; Sophomore
: OF

#2 Anissa Morales
: 5' 2"; Junior
: C

#7 Stephanie Rundlett
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: P