Marist Box Score | UMES Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – On the final day of the Spartan Classic, the Norfolk State softball team fell to Marist, 10-1, but rebounded to defeat UMES, 4-1, in the finale of the tournament Sunday at the NSU Softball Field.

NSU (4-12) got key hits by junior Whitney Holland and freshman Kathy Cortez and a solid pitching performance by junior Casey Pomeroy to take down the Hawks (1-14). Marist (6-7) shut down the NSU offense, allowing just two hits in five innings.

Cortez and Holland added a pair of hits against UMES, while Holland also knocked in two runs. Freshman Morgan Boyd also added two hits for NSU. Holland also had an RBI in the contest against Marist in her first weekend of action of the season for the junior college transfer.

Pomeroy allowed one earned run on four hits with five strikeouts in all seven innings against the Hawks. Carmen Gurrola pitched all six innings for UMES, giving up seven hits and four runs. Paige Lewis gave up one earned run on two hits with five strikeouts as she got the win for the Red Foxes. Freshman Jamie Schulle allowed all 10 runs, six of them earned, on eight hits for the Spartans.

The Spartans took control right away against UMES, as back-to-back walks and a hit by pitch with one out loaded the bases for Holland in the first inning. NSU's starting third baseman lined one past the pitcher and into center field to score Pomeroy and freshman Melina Valles. Junior Jeanette Sauceda went to third when the UMES center fielder bobbled the ball and scored one out later on an illegal pitch on Gurrola.

A double steal allowed Charlise Castro to score from third in the top of the fourth inning for the Hawks to make it 3-1 Spartans. NSU scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when pinch hitter Alyssa Velazquez singled with two outs. Sophomore Meagan Long, whom Velazquez had hid for, came around to score on an infield single by Boyd and then another one-bagger from Cortez.

Pomeroy worked out of several jams, as UMES stranded seven runners in the game, including two runners in scoring position in the fifth inning with just one out and two more runners in the sixth.

Marist tallied a pair of runs in the opening frame on a one-out double by Haley Birnbaum over the head of left fielder Pomeroy. Danielle Koltz, the next batter up, lined to Sauceda at third, who stepped on the third base bag to double up Nicole DiVirgilio to end the threat.

NSU cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first when junior leadoff hitter Danielle Wright singled, stole second, then went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cortez. Holland hit a two-out single past third baseman Birnbaum to plate Wright.

The Red Foxes scored two more in the third inning on a pair of miscues committed by the Spartans, then made it 5-1 an inning later on an RBI single by Aly Klemmer. Marist used a huge fifth inning to break the game wide open, scoring three runs on a pair of RBI singles before an error on the Spartans brought home the last two runs for the final 10-1 margin.

Klemmer had two hits and three RBI, while Lamoureux added a pair of hits and runs scored. Birnbaum knocked in two runs for the Red Foxes.

NSU will get a week and a half break before returning to the field March 24 when the Spartans host Hampton for a doubleheader at the NSU Softball Field at 5 p.m.