EMMITSBURG, Md. (February 16, 2026) – Mount St. Mary's baseball resumes their 2026 non-conference schedule on Tuesday, taking on Coppin State at Prince George's Community College in Largo, Maryland at 2:30 p.m. The Mountaineers return action off a series loss to Mizzou in Florida, having beat the Tigers on February 13 8-5 for their first ever win over a SEC program.
 
MOUNT UPDATE
 
After their win against Mizzou on Friday, the Mountaineers fell in succession to the Tigers, losing of Saturday by a score of 5-4 and on Sunday by a score of 34-3.
 
In game one, the Mount found themselves down 5-1 after the third inning. The Mountaineers began to rally in the sixth inning. Before Bauman homered, he doubled to right field, scoring Alex Mendes. A triple by Ty Fredo scored Bauman, and a sacrifice fly from Michael Toth scored Fredo. With the score at 5-4 entering the seventh, Carson Clark, Evan Meier, and Mendes all reached base, setting up Bauman's bomb to deep right field. His 378-foot blast proved the deciding factor.
 
From there, Maximus McCrary took over on the mound. Towing the rubber in the fourth inning, he went the rest of the way, hurling 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts against only two hits. JB Manarchuck added an earlier inning of scoreless relief. Serigne Sarre had the start and doubled McCrary's strikeout total for a total of eight Tiger strikeouts.
 
During the second game of the weekend, Mizzou accumulated an early 2-0 lead through the first two innings as Josh Halcisak took the mound for the Mount to start the game. The first Tiger run came across during the bottom of the first, after the Mizzou lead off batter reached base on a single, later reaching third base on a throwing error by Halcisak while scoring on a ground out later in the inning. A Mizzou triple to left field scored another run in the bottom of the second, opening the home team's lead.
 
The Tigers struck again during the bottom of the fourth when a Mizzou double scored two runs, with Halcisak being charged with one run and Kaden Kimble being charged with the other. Mount St. Mary's scored their first run of the night in the top of the sixth after a Ty Fredo double scored Christian Bauman from first base, much in thanks from an error from the center fielder.
 
Another Mizzou run came across home plate in the bottom of the sixth, establishing a 5-1 lead over the Mount late in the game. A Michael Toth single to right scored Sam Meyer while pushing Carson Clark to third. Alex Mendes hit into a fielder's choice later in the inning while Clark scored from third, cutting the run deficit to two heading into the bottom of the seventh.
 
Coming into relieve Christian Pownall in the bottom of the seventh, Jackson Snyder recorded his first strikeout in more than a year after returning from injury, striking out Mizzou's Eric Maisonet. After a hit-by-pitch, Snyder produced a double play in the infield, getting out of the bottom of the seventh unscathed.
 
A scoreless eighth inning by both teams produced an opportunity for the Mountaineers to rally in the top of the ninth, only down by two runs. Evan Meier got the ninth inning started with a 3-1 walk to get on base followed by a Nathan Rodriguez single through the infield, sending Meier to second base. Sean Heffernan was subbed in to pinch run for Rodriguez right before a Bauman single to right field sent Meier home for the run and Heffernan to third, with the tying run on the corner. A double-steal backfired for the Mountaineers as Bauman was caught stealing at second before Mizzou threw Heffernan out at home plate, ending the game and preventing the Mount comeback.  
 
Halcisak was handed his first loss on the year as the junior from Hazel Township, Pennsylvania threw 3.2 innings while giving up three earned runs, striking out four batters after facing 16 Tigers at the plate. Kimble came into pitch an inning and two-thirds while allowing two hits and two walks for an earned run. Pownall made his debut for the Mountaineers during the game, throwing two-thirds of an inning, producing two outs in the inning. And Snyder came into relive late in the game, hurling 2.0 innings while giving up one hit and recording a K after facing six batters.
 
Bryce Rudisill went 2-4 on the day while recording nine putouts at first base for the Mount. Bauman went 1-2 against Mizzou in game two, working three walks while driving in and scoring a run. And Mike Toth went 1-1 in his pinch hitter appearance, batting in Meyer during the top of the seventh.
 
STATISTICAL LEADERS
 
Graduate transfer Bauman leads the Mountaineer bats in most statistical categories, recording a team-leading six RBIs, much in thanks to his grand slam against Mizzou on Friday night. Bauman has also accumulated seven total bases while working four walks at the plate. He has also recorded a double and three singles from his seven at-bats to start the season. Bauman also leads in runs scored with three in three games as well as recording a team leading 1.636 OPS.
 
Meyer also had a breakout opening series as a Mountaineer, going 3-8 at the plate while smacking a home run and a triple for three RBIs on the weekend. Fredo also recorded a double and a triple during the weekend's series while working a walk and scoring a run.
 
Even with an accredited loss on Saturday, Halcisak leads the pitching staff starters with a 7.36 ERA while striking out four batters in 3.2 innings of work. After his 5.1 inning, shutdown performance in the win over Mizzou, McCrary has emerged as the Mountaineer bullpen's most effective reliever, striking out four Tigers in his outing while only allowing two hits during the contest. McCrary was accredited with the win on Friday night while accumulating a WHIP of .38 and an opponent batting average of .111.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
 
Coppin State recorded a record of 15-35 during the 2025 season, recording a conference record of 13-17 in the Northeast Conference. Notable wins for Coppin State in 2025 included wins over Iona, UMass, and sweeps of UMES and Norfolk State, starting a six-game win streak in the middle of the season.
 
Bryce Thompson returns to the Eagles as a top returner from the 2025 season. The rising senior recorded a season batting average of .239 with 33 hits and 19 walks while batting in 12 RBI. Pranav Sundar returns for Coppin State as well, coming off a 2025 season that yielded a .242 batting average, 30 hits, 10 walks, and 22 RBI.
 
ALL-TIME RECORD
 
The Mountaineers and the Eagles have played 46 times against each other since 1989, with the Mount holding a 35-10-1 record over Coppin State. Mount St. Mary's currently has a seven-game winning streak against Coppin State, with the run beginning on March 7, 2021.