Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball team scored five runs in the first inning on the way to an 11-5 victory over Coppin State on Friday night at the NSU Softball Field in the first conference game of the year.
 
The Spartans had 13 hits on the night in a contest that was delayed several hours due to traffic issues for CSU. The win improved NSU's record to 6-10 overall and 1-0 in MEAC play.
 
Junior Hannah Haustein batted 3-for-4 with four RBI to lead the Spartans, while freshman Stephanie Davenport hit 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI.
 
In the circle, sophomore Megan Przeslawski (3-4) worked out of some early trouble to allow seven hits and five runs, all unearned with six strikeouts in a complete game performance.
 
Some of that trouble resulted in an early lead for Coppin State (0-11, 0-1 MEAC). The Eagles tallied a run in the top of the first innings thanks in part to an error in the first at bat of the game. But the Spartans immediately answered. Junior Devon Bitler doubled over the left fielder's head to plate the first run of the bottom of the first inning, and two batters later junior Kayla McNair drove her home with a single back up the middle.
 
Davenport dropped an RBI single into right center, and Haustein later hit a two-run single to nearly the exact same spot for a 5-1 NSU advantage.
 
Thanks in part to two errors on NSU to open the frame, the Eagles added three runs in the second to make it 5-4. Danielle Smith and Taylor Haller added RBI hits later in the inning to cut the Spartan lead to one.
 
Senior Whitney Williams, though, made it 7-4 in the bottom of the second when she lined the first pitch of the at bat over the fence in right center for a two-run homer.
 
The Spartans tacked on two more runs in the third, the first on an RBI single by Haustein past the third baseman and then on an RBI triple by senior Megan Dunning to the wall in left.
 
After getting out of a bases loaded situation in the fourth and another jam in the sixth, NSU tacked on two more runs in the sixth. After sophomore Seana Moriarty doubled to lead off the inning, she eventually scored from third when Davenport beat out an infield single. She later came around to score when Haustein lined one past the third baseman.
 
Pinch hitter Cayla Brown doubled home a run for CSU in the seventh for the final margin.
 
Williams scored twice and drove in a pair with her two-run home run. Bitler also had two hits and scored twice.
 
The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.