Box Score

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Scott Garner pitched seven shutout innings and D.J. Leonard drove in three runs as top-seeded Bethune-Cookman defeated No. 4 Norfolk State 8-0 in the winner's bracket final of the MEAC Baseball Tournament on Friday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

The Spartans (23-28) play again at 6 p.m. Friday evening against No. 2 Delaware State in the final of the loser's bracket. The winner advances to meet the Wildcats in Saturday's championship round. The Wildcats (34-22) are the lone remaining unbeaten team in the tournament, meaning they would have to be beaten twice Saturday to be denied the conference title. B-CU is seeking its sixth straight conference baseball crown.

The Spartans had seven players reach base, five via base hits, in the first three innings. But they couldn't push anything across against Garner in those frames, leaving the bases loaded in the third.

BCU responded by plating four runs in its half of the third. Two walks and a bunt single by Brandon Turner loaded the bases. Peter O'Brien knocked in the game's first run with an RBI single. One batter later, Emmanuel Castro walked with the bases loaded to force in another. Leonard then followed with a two-run single to put the Wildcats ahead 4-0.

Brashad Johnson singled to lead off the fourth and later came around to score on a triple by Matt Wright. Wright then crossed the plate on an Alejandro Sanchez single to make it 6-0.

Leonard hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth and Sanchez had one in the seventh to account for B-CU's last two runs.

NSU stranded 14 runners on base, matching a season high. James Taylor, John Rasberry, Sammy Serafine and TiQuan Griffin had two hits each for the Spartans.

For B-CU, O'Brien went 3-for-5. Leonard, Sanchez, Wright and Johnson had two hits apiece.

Richie Salter (2-2) took the loss after allowing seven hits and six runs in 3.1 innings. He walked three and struck out one. Garner (8-2) scattered eight hits and struck out four in seven innings.