Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
BALTIMORE, Md. – Sophomore Juan Herrera (Santiago, Dominican Republic) had not hit a home run in the first 21 games of his collegiate career. The 22nd, though, will put him down in the Norfolk State record books.
Herrera became the first player in school history to hit two grand slams in one game, sparking the Spartans (6-9, 3-2 MEAC) to a 28-4 win over Coppin State (0-13, 0-5) in the first game of Tuesday's MEAC doubleheader played at Dundalk Community College. Herrera, whose eight RBI tie a single-game school record, added a 3-for-4 performance and a ninth run batted in during NSU's 7-2 victory in the nightcap.
The 28 runs are the most by an NSU team in the school's Division I era (since 1998) and are the fourth-most in a game in school history. The Spartans defeated St. Paul's 39-0 in 1996, their next-to-last year in Division II. The 35 runs in a doubleheader surpassed the 34 scored by the 1983 team in a sweep of Maryland Eastern Shore. Herrera's eight-RBI outburst ties Jeff Jones (1979 vs. Shaw) and Ronnie Narcisse (1985 vs. Shaw) for the best single-game effort in school annals.
Herrera did not start the opener, but entered the game as NSU's designated hitter in the fifth inning. He connected on his first grand off Josue Martinez slam in the Spartans' 10-run sixth inning. Herrera wasn't the only Spartan with a power surge Tuesday. Jerrod Farley (Chester, Va.) had his first career two-homer game, smacking both a solo shot and a three-run bomb in the same sixth-inning outburst.
Herrera's second round-tripper came in an eight-run seventh inning off Marcus Hampton.
Anselmo Cantu (Virginia Beach, Va.) hit a homer in each game to give him a team-high four homers on the year. Cantu was one of five Spartans with at least two hits and two RBI in the opener.
Quinn Bright (Virginia Beach, Va.) was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion, earning his team-leading third win of the year. Bright (3-1) pitched the first six innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out eight.
Herrera got the start in the nightcap and remained hot, leading NSU with a 3-for-4 effort. Cantu was 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Spartans, who had 10 hits in the second game to tally 32 for the double-dip.
Chase Davenport (Wooster, Ohio) earned the win in the nightcap. He went a season-best seven innings, allowing just four hits and one earned run for his first complete game.
Herrera led a long list of standouts in the doubleheader. Like Herrera, Cantu and Farley also finished 5-for-8. Cantu tallied five runs scored and six RBI, while Farley had five of each. John Lynch (Newport News, Va.) went 4-for-10, scored eight runs, stole two bases and doubled twice.
NSU doesn't have long to savor Tuesday's wins, which broke a three-game losing streak. The Spartans play at Virginia (22-4) on Wednesday night at 6 p.m. The Cavaliers are ranked 10th nationally by Collegiate Baseball News.
