Box Score

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Paige Arnold and Coppin State ended Norfolk State's 2011 softball season with a 1-0 victory over the Spartans at the MEAC Softball Championship Friday morning at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

Arnold shut down the NSU offense, giving up just one hit with two strikeouts in all seven innings. Her counterpart Casey Pomeroy did the same for NSU, limiting the Eagle offense to eight hits and one unearned run in seven innings. Coppin State advanced to play Howard later in the day on Friday.

After finishing 14-28 last season, NSU ended its 2011 campaign 23-25 overall, tied for the third-most wins in the Division I era. Coppin State improved to 18-15 on the year.

Both Pomeroy and senior Jeanette Sauceda wrapped up their NSU careers following the loss. Pomeroy finished 2011 13-9 overall with a 2.36 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 139.2 innings, the second-most strikeouts by an NSU pitcher in the D-I years. She finished her career with a 16-20 record, a 3.51 ERA in 217.2 innings, 145 strikeouts and five shutouts.

Sauceda had the best season of her career this year as well, finishing with a .369 batting average, 11 doubles, two home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs and 48 hits. She ranks first all-time at NSU in doubles with 37 and hit .284 for her career with five triples, nine home runs, 95 RBI and 86 runs in 189 career games.

In a game that lasted just 1:15, Coppin State scored its lone run of the game in the top of the second, as Charma Robinson singled back to the pitching circle to open the frame. Robinson advanced to third on the play when no one covered first base and the ball rolled into the right field corner. One out later, Tiffani Whaley hit one to the second baseman for the RBI groundout.

NSU got its lone hit of the day in the top of the fourth when freshman Morgan Boyd singled off Arnold's glove. Coppin State threatened to add to its total in the top of the seventh, but junior center fielder Danielle Wright threw out Patrice Williams at home plate, as freshman catcher Kathy Cortez held onto the ball despite a big collision with Williams.

After Bethune-Cookman defeated Delaware State on Sunday for the MEAC title, Pomeroy and Wright were named to the 2011 All-Tournament Team.

Robinson and Stacey Burgos each added two hits for Coppin State. Arnold improved her record to 16-10, while Coppin State left eight runners on base in the game, one in each inning plus two in the fifth.