Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box
NORFOLK, Va. - Rafael Colon ended the longest game in Norfolk State history with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the 14th to give the Spartans a 1-0 game one win, but Rider rebounded for a 5-3 win in game two of the teams' season-opening doubleheader on Friday at Marty L. Miller Field.
In game one, the teams battled through 13 scoreless innings before Colon played hero. Cameron Day and Chase Kyriacou led off the bottom of the 14th inning with back-to-back singles and moved to third on a sacrifice by Tyon Ore. Rider reliever Chris Taylor induced a shallow flyout by Chris Warren for the second out of the inning. But Colon followed with a hard line drive over the head of center fielder Brandon Cotten, whose diving attempt came up just empty as Day score the game's only - and winning – run.
Day and Colon finished both went 2-for-6 in the opener for the Spartans, who finished with nine hits as a team.
The story of the game on both sides was pitching. NSU starter Jordan Egan and Rider starter Mike Murphy matched each other one scoreless frame after another for the first seven innings. Egan allowed just five hits while fanning seven, while Murphy gave up three hits and fanned three.
Spartan reliever Justin Bhatti was just as sharp, pitching seven scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the win. He yielded just five hits, walked none, and struck out three.
Taylor, the fifth Broncs' pitcher of the game, took the loss, allowing three hits and one run in 1.1 innings.
NSU rode that momentum into the nightcap, scoring a run in its first two times up against Rider starter Kurt Sowa. Ryan Montgomery knocked in Mikey Bruno with a single in the bottom of the first. In the second, Ore led off with a single and scored on another base hit from Colon for a 2-0 NSU lead.
But the Broncs' offense finally awakened in the fourth inning off NSU starter Ryan VanAssche, striking for five runs and four hits. After an NSU error and a walk, Cotton got Rider on the board with an RBI double. Adam Wayman tied it with an RBI single, and Ken Kremer doubled to put the Broncs up 1. Justin Thomas had the final blow, a two-run single to make it 5-2.
Rider would not get another hit on the afternoon, but NSU couldn't overtake the Broncs. Two walks and a two-out error allowed Warren to score a run and get the Spartans within 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, but Rider reliever Zach Mawson got the final out to preserve the win.
Sowa earned the win, allowing five hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings. He struck out eight. VanAssche pitched his second career complete game, allowing four hits and five runs, four earned, over seven frames. He walked two and fanned five.
The 10 combined hits in game two came via 10 different players. On the afternoon, Day and Colon had three hits apiece for NSU, while Cotton did likewise for the Broncs.
The teams play another doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
-NSU-
