Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Norfolk State committed a pair of costly two-out errors in the bottom of the ninth that allowed Maryland Eastern Shore to score the winning run in a 2-1 Hawks' victory on Sunday afternoon at Hawks Stadium.
The Spartans fall to 12-18 overall, 5-2 in the MEAC with the loss. UMES is now 5-27, 4-5.
The game was tied 1-all entering the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, Shaquille Bagwell drew a walk from NSU reliever Ryan VanAssche (4-3). Bagwell was erased on a fielder's choice ground ball hit by James Newsome for the second out of the inning. Tre-von Johnson followed with a grounder that would have gotten the Spartans out of the inning, but the ball was misplayed for an error that left runners on first and second.
Bryan Chaikowsky followed with an infield single to second, but a last-gasp attempt to throw him out at first got by first baseman Brandon Hairston. That allowed Newsome to score from second with the winning run.
VanAssche took the loss despite allowing just two hits and one unearned run in 2.2 innings. Karim Gonzalez (2-6) earned the win for the Hawks with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.
The Hawks opened the bottom of the first inning with back-to-back hits off NSU starter Jordan Egan to score the game's first run. Newsome doubled and scored on a single by Johnson.
But Egan shut down the Hawks on just three hits over the next six innings. He matched his career high with eight strikeouts. NSU, meanwhile, tied things up in the top of the sixth inning. Hairston led off the inning with a single, and one out later, stole second base. John Lynch followed with an RBI single to tie the game at 1-all.
But that would be the only run NSU could muster off Hawks' pitching. Starter Tyler Witte allowed just one run on five hits in seven innings. Relievers Bernard Parker and Gonzalez combined to hold NSU scoreless over the final two innings.
Both teams had seven hits. NSU's hits came from seven different players, while Chaikowsky had three of UMES' seven hits.
The Spartans play a makeup game on Monday at Coppin State. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Baltimore, Md.
