Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Kelvin Freeman went 3-for-4 and Luke Tendler had three RBI to lead visiting North Carolina A&T to a 6-2 win over Norfolk State on Wednesday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
The game was a makeup contest rescheduled from a March 27 rainout and concluded regular-season conference play for both teams. NSU falls to 19-27 overall, 9-9 in the MEAC. The Aggies improve to 19-29, 10-8. By virtue of the loss, the Spartans will be the fourth seed in next week's MEAC Tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Aggies, meanwhile, earned the third seed in the tournament. The two teams will face one another in a 6 p.m. first-round game next Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Craig Erskine pitched his second complete game of the season for A&T. His offense staked him to an early lead. The Aggies struck first on Freeman's long RBI double in the top of the second. Tendler made it 4-0 with a bases-clearing three-run double in the top of the third inning.
The Spartans picked up one run in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Chris Joyce, but Mark Nales' RBI single in the sixth put the Aggies back ahead by four, 5-1.
NSU made it 5-2 in the seventh. Sammy Serafine led off with a double and eventually scored on a single by TiQuan Griffin.
But the Aggies could not be caught. Tendler singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Dario Little single to close out the scoring in the eighth.
Erskine improved to 2-6. He pitched all nine innings and allowed seven hits and two runs (one earned) while walking three and striking out just one. Raymond Morton (2-3) took the loss for NSU. He worked six innings and allowed eight hits and five earned runs, walking two and striking out two.
The Aggies out-hit NSU 12-7. Freeman was 3-for-4, while Tendler, Marquis Riley and Andre McKoy had two apiece. Griffin (2-for-4) and Serafine (2-for-4) were the only Spartans with more than one hit.
NSU hosts Longwood for a pair of games this Friday and Saturday at Marty L. Miller Field to conclude its regular season. The teams play a single game at 5 p.m. Friday. The regular-season finale, as well as Senior Day for nine Spartan players, is at 1 p.m. Saturday.
