Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

CARY, N.C. – The Norfolk State softball team continued its winning ways with a pair of victories over North Carolina Central, 8-3, 8-2, Saturday afternoon in a non-conference doubleheader at Thomas Brooks Park.

NSU ran its win streak to 11 games, the longest in the Division I era, and broke the previous record of nine set in 2007. The all-time program mark stands at 18 accomplished in 1997, the team's final season in D-II.

The Spartans pounded out 28 hits on the afternoon as they improved to 21-23 overall on the season. The Eagles saw their record drop to 7-36.

Junior Casey Pomeroy (11-8) pitched four shutout innings to pick up the win in the first game and added a pair of RBI. Junior Whitney Holland hit 2-for-4 with one run and two RBI, while sophomore Gipsy Ramirez and freshman Morgan Boyd each added three hits. Pomeroy allowed three hits and struck out three, and junior Elizabeth Castaneda gave up three earned runs in the last three innings.

Freshman Jamie Schulle (6-9) gave up two earned runs on eight hits with seven strikeouts for the victory in Game 2. Holland, junior Danielle Wright and freshman Kathy Cortez each had a pair of RBI in the nightcap. Schulle added three hits in four at bats and also scored two runs to aid her cause.

Three errors on North Carolina Central in the first three at bats helped NSU take the early lead in the top of the first inning of Game 1. After Wright, Boyd and freshman Melina Valles reached on errors to score that first run, Holland and freshman Nikki Jones hit back-to-back singles to plate the next two runs and give the Spartans a 3-0 lead. Holland and Jones moved into scoring position with one out, and Pomeroy brought both home with a two-run double.

Pomeroy moved to third with two outs, and after Cortez walked, Wright hit an infield single to score Pomeroy. A bunt single by Boyd loaded the bases, but NC Central finally got out of the first inning when Valles flied out in the next at bat. NSU had done all the damage it needed, going up by a 6-0 score after that opening frame.

NSU threatened in the next two innings, including an RBI groundout by Holland in the third, but left two players on base each time. The Spartans stranded 10 runners all-together in the game. After junior Candice Vasquez hit an RBI double in the top of the sixth for an 8-0 lead, the Eagles stayed alive by tallying three runs in the bottom half of the frame.

The Eagles got no closer in the seventh, though, as the Spartans took Game 1. Kayla McPeek suffered the loss for NC Central, allowing 15 hits and five earned runs with three strikeouts in all seven innings.

The Eagles struck first in Game 2 in the first inning on a double by Andre Searls and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Cember Carmichael. NSU tied it right back up in the top of the second. Holland and Ramirez singled to put runners on first and second, and Schulle followed with a double to right field to score Holland. Cortez flied out to left field with the bases loaded to bring home Ramirez before McPeek got out of the inning.

Two innings later in the top of the fourth, Schulle hit her second double of the game to open the frame and came around to score when Cortez singled and advanced to second on an error on Searls. Wright doubled to score Cortez for a 4-2 lead, and a single by Holland into right field plated Wright and Boyd as NSU opened a 6-2 advantage.

The Spartans pushed home the last runs of the day with two more in the fifth. Ramirez walked and Schulle singled to put runners on the corners with no outs, and Vasquez followed with a single down the left field line as Ramirez crossed the plate. Two outs later, Wright also singled past third base to score Schulle for the final 8-2 margin.

Schulle stranded two Eagle runners on base in the bottom of the seventh to end the day's action. McPeek again took the loss, allowing 12 hits and seven earned runs in 4.2 innings.

The Spartans and Eagles will finish up the regular season Sunday at noon with the final game of the series. NSU will compete in the MEAC tournament beginning on Thursday.