Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball team got back into the winning column with a pair of wins over conference rival South Carolina State, 4-1, 4-3, Saturday in a doubleheader at the NSU Softball Field.

Junior Casey Pomeroy shut down the Bulldog offense in Game 1, giving up just one unearned run on six hits with eight strikeouts in seven full innings. Game 2 went into extra innings, but freshman Kathy Cortez hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to bring home the winning run for NSU.

The Spartans improved to 10-20 on the season and 3-5 in the MEAC. NSU leapfrogged S.C. State for third place in the Southern Division, as the Bulldogs fell to 7-36, 2-6.

Pomeroy earned her fifth win of the season in Game 1, while Cortez added two RBI. Raven Johnson (3-18) took the loss as she failed to get out of the first inning, allowing two runs and two hits in 0.1 innings. She was pulled for Vianney Gomez, who pitched the other 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits.

Freshman Nikki Jones added a pair of RBI in Game 2, while fellow rookie Jamie Schulle (2-8) earned the victory in relief, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings. Gomez (4-18) suffered the loss, giving up four runs, three earned, on 11 hits.

The Bulldogs left 11 batters on base in the game, while the Spartans stranded 10.

The Spartans struck early in the first game, as freshman Melina Valles doubled home freshman Morgan Boyd with one out. Gomez quickly came in to relieve Johnson and served up a single to junior Whitney Holland. Two batters later, junior Candice Vasquez reached on a fielding error on the S.C. State second baseman to score Valles for the second run of the game. Gomez retired the next two batters to get out of the bases loaded jam. NSU left nine batters on base in the game.

Senior Jeanette Sauceda singled to lead off the bottom of the third, and after Pomeroy lined a single into left field, the two runners moved into scoring position on an NSU groundout. Cortez then hit a two-run single to left-center field to bring home both runners and give NSU a 4-0 lead.

The Bulldogs stranded a pair of runners in the sixth inning, then finally pushed a run across in the top of the seventh. Back-to-back singles to start the frame were followed by a single to center off the bat of Gomez. Wright, though, gunned down Shannon Baity at home for the first out of the inning. One out later, Sonya Giles scored on a throwing error on the Spartans, but Pomeroy retired the last batter of the game for the win.

After the Bulldogs hit an RBI single for a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning, NSU put a trio of runs on the board in the bottom half of the frame. Junior Danielle Wright singled with one out, stole second and went to third on the throwing error on the Bulldog catcher. A wild pitch allowed Wright to score, and after Gomez got the second out of the inning, the Spartans continued to pile up the hits.

Holland singled before Sauceda launched a double over the left fielder's head to put runners in scoring position. Jones then blooped a single to center field to score Sauceda and Holland and give the Spartans the lead back, 3-1.

S.C. State, though, tied it back up in the top of the fourth as Kelsey Grochow singled to lead things off. Another single and a walk loaded the bases before Tonya Giles received a free pass to bring home Grochow. LaTavia Riley singled into left field to tie it at 3-3, but Schulle entered the game and got the lead runner out at home when Baity attempted a squeeze bunt. Schulle then forced Sonya Giles to ground to third to end the threat.

The Spartans threatened in the sixth inning, loading the bases on three straight hits with no outs. Sophomore Gipsy Ramirez was thrown out at home by the Bulldog second baseman for the first out, and then S.C. State pulled a 1-2-3 double play to get out of the inning.

With a runner on second to open the eighth inning, Schulle struck out Stevenson for the first out, but Stevenson reached on a wild pitch. NSU, though, got Kindrea McNeil in a rundown between second and third for the first out as Stevenson got to second on the play. Denitia Carter grounded one to Holland at third, and Valles threw out Stevenson at third to complete the double play.

Jones started off the bottom of the eighth at second, and went to third on a sac bunt by Schulle. Ramirez hit a pop-up that landed in between the second baseman and pitcher thanks to a strong wind that played havoc for the fielders in Game 2. Jones was forced to stay at third on the play, but Cortez made it null and void when she lofted a sacrifice fly down the left field line to score Jones.

The two teams will complete the series Sunday at noon with a single game.