By Michael Zonkowski
Special to howard-bison.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Despite a ten strikeout performance by Howard's Emily Johnson, the Bison fell in the first game of Saturday afternoon's double header with Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) North rival Coppin State 7-0.

Johnson gave up five hits over 6 1/3 innings while giving up four runs, none of which were earned and falls to 3-2 on the season.

Johnson was out dueled by Eagles’ sophomore Paige Arnold (15-6) who scattered just four Howard hits over a complete game performance.

In the top of the sixth inning, Coppin State’s Amber Miller broke the games scoreless tie by hitting a two run double with runners on second and third. 

Charma Robinson and Patrice Williams each added RBI singles in the frame to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead.

All three of Coppin State’s seventh inning runs came with one swing of Candice Wright’s bat.  After Stephanie Watts reached on a Jessica Hurston issued base on balls, and a Tiffani Whalen bunt single, Wright put all hopes of a Bison comeback to rest with a three run homer over the right center field fence. 

The second game of the MEAC North double header between Howard and Coppin State started out the same way game one had ended, poorly for the Bison (14-16, 4-1).  This time, Howard was able to right the ship and come away with a series split by defeating the Eagles (16-12, 4-1) by the score of 10-5.

With Coppin State ahead 5-1 after four innings of play, the Bison’s bats came to life.  Howard took advantage of four hits and two Eagles errors in the bottom of the fifth to plate five runs and take the first Bison lead of the afternoon 6-5.

With Howard up 7-5 in the bottom of the sixth, senior right fielder Courtney Young took away any doubt of a series split with a three run home run to left field.  Young finished the game 3-4 with a double, four runs batted in and a run scored.

After a rocky start for Christina McCoy who gave up five runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings for the Bison, Johnson (4-2) came in to start the third inning and picked up where she had left off in game one.  Johnson pitched five innings while pitching around six hits and striking out four batters.