Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Photo Gallery vs. Bethune-Cookman

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – A six-run first inning gave the Norfolk State softball team an early lead the Spartans did not relinquish the rest of the way in a 6-3 victory over Coppin State late Thursday afternoon in the 2012 MEAC Championship. The Spartans rebounded after an opening-round loss to Bethune-Cookman, 3-2, earlier in the day.

NSU fell to the loser's side of the bracket after that defeat at the hands of the Wildcats. The victory over the Eagles propelled NSU to the next round Friday at 10 a.m., when the Spartans will face the loser of the Hampton-Florida A&M contest slated for 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

The Spartans jumped on the Eagles right out of the gates after Coppin State had completed an 11-inning loss to Florida A&M just half an hour earlier. NSU batted around in the first, getting a two-run single from junior Gipsy Ramirez and then a two-run double by senior Danielle Wright later in the inning to highlight the opening frame of the game.

Sophomore Jamie Schulle (13-10) pitched well, giving up five hits and three earned runs with three strikeouts in all seven innings. Tiffani Whaley (2-7) took the loss after giving up all six earned runs on four hits with two walks while recording just one out to start the game.

NSU ran its record to 24-24 overall on the year after the second game of the day, while Coppin State saw its season come to a close at 20-22.

The Spartans struck quickly in the first off Whaley. Sophomore catcher Kathy Cortez doubled over the left fielder's head with one out, and freshman Alina Moriarty's bunt single put runners on the corners. Freshman Haley Ward doubled to deep right center for the first run of the game, and Ramirez lined one back up the middle for a 3-0 lead.

Senior Whitney Holland and freshman designated player Liz Riley walked to load the bases, and relief pitcher Paige Arnold then issued another walk to freshman Melina Valles to plate another run. One out later, Wright lined her double to center field to bring home Riley and Holland for the final two runs of the opening frame.

Coppin State broke through with a run in the bottom of the third. The Eagles then cut the lead to three, 6-3, when Arnold doubled to the outfield wall, a shade to the left of Wright out in center, in the fourth.

Arnold went 3-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. She also shut NSU down in relief, striking out seven and giving up three hits in 6.2 innings of work.

The Spartans faced Coppin State shortly after dropping their contest to Bethune-Cookman. After both teams wasted good scoring opportunities – Bethune-Cookman in the second, NSU in the third – the Spartans struck first in the top half of the fifth. Valles reached on a throwing error on Aurelia Gamch at shortstop, and sophomore Morgan Boyd and Wright followed with infield hits to load the bases.

After B-CU starter Shanel Tolbert got the next two outs, Ward lined a 2-2 pitch into the right-center field gap to score Boyd and Wright for a 2-0 lead. Tolbert got out of the inning, though, when Ramirez flied out to shallow left field.

The Wildcats struck back in the bottom half of the fifth, though, as Calesha Shelley led off with a single and Gamch followed with a home run deep over the center field fence. Riley came in to relieve Schulle, and with two outs and a runner on first, Karina Romero and Cesley Tafoya hit back-to-back singles to take a 3-2 lead.

Riley struck out Samaria Engram to end the inning, but Tolbert retired the Spartans in order in the sixth and seventh innings for the win.

Tolbert (27-24) allowed six hits and two unearned runs in all seven innings. Riley (11-14) gave up the one earned run on three hits in two innings of relief for the loss. Wright went 2-for-4 with a run scored.