BALTIMORE, Md. – North Carolina A&T swept Coppin State in a non-conference doubleheader at the CSU Softball Complex, marking their second and third wins over the Eagles this season.

A&T won Game 1, 7-5, and Game 2, 13-6, improving to 18-29. Coppin dropped to 8-19. A&T previously beat Coppin at the HBCU Collegiate Softball Invitational. Destiny Sims led the Aggies, going 4-for-8 with three runs scored and two RBIs. Aniya Merritt scored four runs in the doubleheader. A&T opened Game 1 with seven runs over the first three innings. In the first, Bria Finley hit a sacrifice fly to score Merritt, then Sims doubled for a two-run inning. After a slow second, A&T rallied in the third against Coppin starter Tatjana Harris (L, 1-4).

Sims drove in another run with another double down the left field line, as Merritt scored again for a 3-0 A&T lead. Sophomore Ayanna Mears then blasted her second home run of the season and the fourth of her career, sending a drive to left center field to give the Aggies a five-run advantage. With the bases empty, the Aggies began another rally.

Junior Jamari Moss reached on an error, then Jaden James singled before Taniyah Thomas hit a two-run double for a 7-0 lead. Devin Long (W, 4-10) cruised until the home fourth inning. Giselle Ulloa hit an RBI triple, ending the shutout. Julianna Mejia added a run with an RBI sacrifice fly, and Emily Quintero produced an RBI double in the fifth, making it 7-3. After an error in the sixth, Lauren Hardy relieved Long.

A one-out walk put runners at first and second for pinch-hitter Yasmin Burrell who delivered with a two-run double, getting the Eagles to within two. After Hardy struck out Natasha Arroyo, Cameran Corbett singled up the middle, but Burrell stayed at third. Hardy took advantage by getting Aniyah Hailey to fly out to center to end the Coppin threat.

Coppin put two on in the seventh with two outs, bringing Kylee Sandino to the plate as the game-winning run. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Sandino grounded out to end the game. Quintero, Corbett, and Ulloa each had two hits.

In Game 2, Merritt went 2-for-4, while freshman Maliyah Alexander (W, 4-6) went the distance, walking five and striking out four. Giselle got Coppin off to a 2-0 lead against Alexander with a two-run homer before the Aggies rallied with three in the second and four in the third. Senior Camryn Caldwell provided the three runs in the second with a three-run homer, her career-best third of the season.
Junior Trinity Glover's two-run single highlighted the third. James added an RBI double in the fifth. Tyra Robinson pinch-hit in the seventh and hit a three-run home run. She now shares sixth place with four others for most home runs in a season by an Aggie with eight.

The Aggies will get nine days off from competition before playing a three-game series at Monmouth, starting on Friday, April 24. Game time is 2 p.m.