BALTIMORE, Md. (May 1, 2021)-The Morgan State softball team entered Day 1 of its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Northern Division regular season series finale against crosstown rival Coppin State needing two wins to secure the program's second division crown and first since 2018.
 
The Lady Bears inched closer to fulfilling that achievement, as they split Saturday's doubleheader against the host Eagles, winning the opener 2-1, before falling 1-0 in Game 2 at CSU Softball Field.
 
With the win, the Lady Bears (18-14, 12-5 MEAC) clinched a share of the MEAC Northern Division crown with Norfolk State (19-14, 12-7 MEAC), while also claiming the division's top seed in the MEAC Tournament (May 13-15) in Norfolk, Va.
 
Morgan State claimed the top seed today by way of its series sweep of Norfolk State in the MEAC opener (March 13-14). The Lady Bears, like Norfolk State have 12 league victories and need one win on Sunday against Coppin State (6-23, 6-11 MEAC) to claim the division title outright. Norfolk State has completed its conference schedule.
 
The Lady Bears' Game 1 victory extended their winning streak to six straight over Coppin State. The Game 2 loss was Morgan State's first setback to the Eagles since a 1-0 loss on April 28, 2018.
 
Morgan State starting pitching combined to throw 17 strikeouts. Stephanie Rundlett (7-7), who won the opener, threw a season-high 10 strikeouts, while Mikayla Barnard, who fell to 8-4 on the season, recorded seven strikeouts.
 
Game 1
Morgan State broke a scoreless game in the second inning when Meikel Turner stole third and then scored on a throwing error by the Coppin State catcher, giving the guests a 1-0 lead.
 
Twice Coppin State would threaten to score, loading the bases in both the third and fourth innings. But each time Morgan State pitcher Stephanie Rundlett got out the inning. She struck out Nia Bowe to end the threat in the third and in the fourth Rundlett threw back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
 
The Lady Bears added what would become an insurance run in the fifth inning when Aliya Ewell singled up the middle to score Katariina Delph to give the guests a 2-0 lead.
 
Coppin State, which left a total of 10 runners on base, finally crossed the plate in the seventh inning when Bowe doubled down the left field line to score Shawnee Ronyak to cut the deficit to 2-1. Bowe advanced to third on a passed ball and Isabella Zalba walked, putting runners on the corners for Ashley Weimann. Rundlett would strikeout Weimann to record her 10^th strikeout of the game and preserve the win for the Lady Bears.
 
Game 2
Coppin State loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back singles, followed by a walk. Isabella Zalba stepped to the plate and singled to score Ashley Weimann, who singled to begin the inning, for the game winner.     
 
The Lady Bears had four hits and left seven baserunners. Ellen Ebbers went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Morgan State. Meikel Turner and Damishah Charles each added a hit.
 
Coppin State's Kayleigh Reome improved to 3-2 with the victory. Reome struck out three batters and allowed four hits and three walks in the complete game win. Mikayla Barnard dropped to 8-4 on the season for Morgan State. She threw a game-high seven strikeouts.
 
The Lady Bears and Coppin State wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader on Sunday, May 2. First pitch is at noon.
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 126 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.