Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – Starting pitcher Jordan Elliot scattered five hits over seven-plus innings to lead the Delaware State baseball team to a 4-1 win over Norfolk State Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field in both teams' first conference game of the season.

Elliott struck out five and walked one for the Hornets (8-6, 1-0 MEAC) to run his record to 2-1 this season, and Chad Sturgeon picked up his third save of the season after striking out all three batters he faced in the ninth. NSU scored its lone run in the bottom of the third on a double by junior center fielder James Taylor.

The Spartans (1-10, 0-1) left just five runners on base, including two in the eighth when NSU had a pair in scoring position with one out but was unable to get a run across. Senior second baseman Rafael Colon added a pair of hits on the day, including a double to lead off that eighth inning.

Junior Jordan Egan (0-2) suffered the loss, giving up four runs, three earned, and all 11 Hornet hits in seven innings with five strikeouts and two walks. After winning the season opener, NSU fell for the 10th straight game in 2012.

The Hornets got on the board first in the opening frame, as leadoff hitter Troy Drummond drew a walk to start the game and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Drummond then came around to score when third baseman Cameron Cecil skied one to deep left field, and Tyon Ore was unable to make the catch after initially back peddling away from the ball.

Delaware State pushed two more runs across the plate in the third, all with two outs. Cecil drew the two-out walk to get things going, and first baseman Ryan Haas singled into right field to put runners on first and second. Catcher Eddie Sorondo hit a shot to third that a diving Ryan Montgomery was able to knock down and keep from scooting into left field, but nevertheless DSU loaded the bases on the infield hit.

Left fielder Aaron Nardone followed that up with a blooper in between Ore and Taylor in left-center to score two more runs and give Delaware State a 3-0 lead.

NSU got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the third when senior catcher Chris Warren got grazed by a pitch with two outs and went to second on a wild pitch. Taylor lined a double past third base and down the left field line to plate Warren and cut the deficit to 3-1.

DSU countered right back with an insurance run, as a pair of singles by second baseman JP Frey and Drummond put runners on first and third in the top half of the fourth. Frey walked home from third when Warren's throw down to second on a Drummond steal attempt sailed into center field.

Designated hitter Hunter Kenney and Colon singled to put runners on base with one out in the fifth, and Colon doubled and Warren walked with no outs in the eighth for NSU. Elliot, though, worked out of the jam in fifth, while reliever Tommy Dill got freshman shortstop Justin Lee to strike out and Montgomery to hit a lazy fly ball to right field to end the threat in the eighth inning.

The two teams will meet again on Sunday for a doubleheader at noon at Marty L. Miller Field after rains forced the teams to push back the regularly scheduled twinbill from Saturday.