Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – Senior Hunter Kenney knocked home a career-high three runs, and the Norfolk State baseball team tallied 12 hits on the day in a 10-4 win over Youngstown State Tuesday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.

Three different Spartan relievers combined to give up just one earned run on four hits in seven innings, while the offense scored its most runs in a game this season to help break a 12-game losing streak. Kenney had a pair of doubles to lead the way for the Spartans, and senior Rafael Colon went 3-for-5 to move his team-leading average to.353 on the year.

Junior Shane Hoggard went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI on the day, while senior catcher Chris Warren scored three runs and drew two walks. Junior Richie Salter picked up the win in relief for NSU (2-12), giving up one earned run on two hits with three strikeouts in three innings of work.

Jeremy Banks got Youngstown State (1-13) on the board first with a sacrifice fly in the opening frame following a pair of walks issued by NSU starter Horace Smith. The Penguins scored two more runs in the second when Smith walked two straight batters with the bases loaded.

The Spartans, though, matched Youngstown State run-for-run in those first two innings following Kenney's sac fly in the first and two more in the second. Freshman shortstop Justin Lee hit an RBI groundout to score the first run, and a wild pitch thrown by reliever Josh North scored Hoggard a short time later.

Junior center fielder James Taylor singled into left field to score Hoggard from third in the fourth inning after Hoggard had opened the frame with a one-bagger to left. Warren singled to put runners on the corners, and after a wild pitch brought home Taylor, junior third baseman Ryan Montgomery hit an RBI single to center to plate Warren.

Down 6-3, the Penguins pushed a run across the plate in the sixth when catcher Craig Goubeaux doubled home David Leon from first. NSU, though, pushed home two more runs in the seventh and eighth innings to take a comfortable lead.

Kenney doubled with one out in the seventh, but after a Colon single, Kenney was tagged out by the third baseman on a hit by sophomore Cameron Day. With Colon now on second and Day on first, Hoggard and sophomore Tyon Ore followed with back-to-back singles to score both NSU runners.

The Spartans padded their lead in the eighth when Kenney doubled to right field to plate Warren and Montgomery.

Joey Gadja (0-2) gave up three earned runs with five walks but no hits in 1.2 innings for the loss. North allowed five earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work, while Ryan Krokos pitched the last 1.2 innings of the game, surrendering two earned runs on four hits.

Freshman Jeremy Sandifer and junior Chris Horne each pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the Spartans. Montgomery went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI as well.

The Spartans will stay right at home and welcome MEAC Northern Division rival UMES to Marty L. Miller Field Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's doubleheader gets started at 1 p.m., and the two teams will play a single game at noon on Sunday.