Jake Cumming pitched 7.2 innings and allowed just one run as Coppin State University opened its Northeast Conference baseball schedule with a 2-1 win over Mercyhurst at Joe Cannon Stadium on Friday. With the victory, Coppin State improved to 1-8 for the season while Mercyhurst remained winless at 0-8.
Cumming, a junior from Fernley, Nevada, gave up five hits and struck out seven in his longest appearance of the year. He managed to leave four Mercyhurst runners stranded in the first three innings before retiring all batters in the fourth inning. In the eighth inning, he recorded two more strikeouts before being replaced by Justin Ritz.
Ritz came in and struck out all four batters he faced to secure his first save of the season and the eighth of his career. This achievement moved him into third place on Coppin State’s all-time saves list.
The game’s only runs for Coppin State came when Armando (AJ) Hurtado hit a home run over the left field fence on a 2-2 pitch, bringing Angel Garcia home after Garcia reached base on an error. This was the first home run of the season for a Coppin State player.
Garcia and Emilio Feliciano each had two hits for Coppin State, while Hurtado and Terrell Milliner added one hit apiece. Noah Hogan contributed with two walks during the game.
Coppin State will continue its series against Mercyhurst with games scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at noon at Joe Cannon Stadium.
