Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
DOVER, Del. — Host Delaware State had to rally in both games, but nonetheless came away with an 11-5, 4-2 sweep of a MEAC doubleheader from Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field.
The Hornets (13-22, 8-2) extend NSU's losing streak to six games overall, and five in a row in MEAC play.
The Spartans (13-16, 3-8) held leads in both games and out-hit DSU 20-18 on the day, but stranded 22 combined runners and committed six errors.
In game 1, the Spartans held a 5-3 lead after a four-run top of the sixth. Moriba George (St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.) and Brandon Hairston (North Garden, Va.) each hit an RBI double in the frame, and Brad Stephenson drove in two runs with a single.
But DSU tied it in the bottom of the frame. Jarrett Bibb hit a sacrifice fly ball, and the NSU defense mishandled the ball when throwing it back in to allow another runner to score and tie the game at 5-all.
The Hornets then scored six runs off the NSU bullpen, three each in the seventh and eighth innings. Chris Kidd hit a two-run single off Jason Barker (Chesapeake, Va.) to cap the seventh-inning rally, and Jose Sanchez hit a two-run homer off Horace Smith III (Emporia, Va.) to highlight the eighth.
Still, the Spartans had their chances late. NSU had the bases loaded in both the seventh and eighth innings, but could not score either time. NSU, which matched the Hornets' 13 hits in the opener, stranded 16 runners in game 1.
Ryan Wiggins (Hayes, Va.) was 3-for-5 and both Hairston and George had two hits each in game 1. Frankie Caldeyro (Portsmouth, Va.) took the loss to drop to 1-4 on the year. He allowed three earned runs in 1.2 innings of relief.
Justin Bittner (1-0) got the win for DSU, pitching the final three innings scoreless.
In game 2, NSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an RBI single by John Boyd III (Hempstead, N.Y.) in the top of the first. It was Boyd's team-leading 30th RBI of the season.
The Hornets managed just five hits off NSU starter Quinn Bright (Virginia Beach, Va.), who was sharp again in defeat for the second weekend in a row. But one of those hits turned out to be enough. A costly NSU error allowed Bittner, who led off the bottom of the second, to reach base. Bright retired the next two batters, but after a walk to Ryan Mailen, James Friel delivered a three-run home run to right field.
NSU was only able to score once more, on Hairston's run-scoring single in the fifth.
Bright allowed just five hits and one earned run (four total) in a six-inning complete game. He fanned six.
Josh Schmidt (4-4) got the win for DSU, allowing seven hits and two runs, one earned, in six innings. Tony Tevis pitched a scoreless seventh for his second save.
Boyd was 2-for-2 in the nightcap for the Spartans.
The teams complete their series with a single game at noon on Sunday.
