NORFOLK, Va. – The annual Norfolk State Baseball Alumni Game enjoyed another successful year as 35 former Spartan players took part in the second annual game on Saturday, Sept. 8, at Marty L. Miller Field.
The alumni roster spanned more than 30 years of NSU baseball, including players from Anthony Drakeford (class of '76) all the way up to recent alumni such as Juan Serrano and De'Mece Williams (who exhausted their eligibility in 2007).
After matching up two alumni teams against each other in the game's first edition in 2006, the alumni took on the current Spartans' baseball team in a nine-inning contest. The alumni scored three runs off the current Spartans. Antonio Boone had an RBI single to get things started for the alumni in the top of the first. In the second, Cliff Hayes led off with a long double and scored on a grounder.
The alumni got their final run in the top of the sixth inning when Kirby Holmes walked and scored on an error.
Though the alumni came up short against the current NSU squad, it was a day of fun, food, fundraising and reminiscing for all involved.
“I thought today was a huge success,” said Spartans' head baseball coach Claudell Clark, a 2001 NSU graduate. “Our alumni turnout was excellent, and I could tell those guys enjoyed themselves tremendously. This is becoming a very popular event every year and we look forward to the next edition.”
