This Weekend
Saturday: NSU vs. UMES (DH), 1 p.m., Marty L. Miller Field
Sunday: NSU vs. UMES, Noon, Marty L. Miller Field
Live Stats | Live Video
NORFOLK, Va. – Having already played nine of the first 12 games of the season at home, the Norfolk State baseball team will continue the homestand as the Spartans welcome Northern Division foe UMES to Marty L. Miller Field this weekend.
The two teams will kick things off Saturday at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader, followed by a single game at noon on Sunday. Saturday's twinbill will consist of a nine-inning game followed by a seven-inning contest.
All of the action can be seen live through the athletic department's live video feed. Live stats will be available as well for the three games.
The Spartans enter the contests on Saturday with a 2-12 overall record, after taking care of Youngstown State on Tuesday at home by a 10-4 score, as well as a 0-3 mark in MEAC play. The victory helped NSU snap a 12-game losing streak and marked the most runs scored by the team this season.
NSU is led by its pitching staff that carries a 3.86 ERA into the weekend. Justin Bhatti and Jordan Egan have each started three games, with Bhatti owning a team-leading 1.59 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 22.2 innings and Egan sitting at 2.01 with 18 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. Chris Horne has tossed 20 innings and has a 3.15 ERA, and Ryan VanAssche has gotten the starting nod in three games, posting a 4.37 ERA.
Rafael Colon hits a team-leading .353 on the season with five doubles and four RBI, while James Taylor has upped his average to .333 after missing the first several games of the season. Ryan Montgomery boosted his average to .267 after a 2-for-4 day against the Penguins and has a team-leading six RBI. As a team, NSU owns a collective .237 average.
Bats Come Alive
NSU pounded out 12 hits on Tuesday against Youngstown State, the second-most in a game this season. The Spartans also doubled their previous best for runs in the game, as NSU scored just four or more runs in one of the first 13 games this year.
NSU got key contributions from a pair of players in Hunter Kenney and Shane Hoggard. Kenney went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Hoggard batted 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Rafael Colon added three hits, and Chris Warren scored three runs to help pace the NSU attack.
About UMES
The Hawks remained winless on the season at 0-16 after getting swept by Mount St. Mary's in a twinbill on Tuesday at home. Every opponent has scored at least six runs against UMES as the team carries a collective 9.57 ERA into the weekend.
Eight different pitchers have gotten starts this year, including Zachary Saca, who made one start and has posted a team-best 5.23 ERA in 20.2 innings of work. Bernard Parker has tallied a 6.23 ERA in 8.2 innings of relief, while Jesus Hernandez has made three starts and has a 6.59 ERA in 13.2 innings. Karim Gonzalez, Tyler Witte and Jacob Foreman had each made at least two starts as well this season.
James Newsome leads the way on the offensive side with a .288 batting average, four doubles and six RBI. Byron Campbell is hitting .276 with three doubles and four RBI, while Tre-von Johnson (.259) and Stephen Bull (.250) have also given the team a lift at the plate. UMES is hitting .227 as a team.
Up Next
NSU will host William & Mary at 4 p.m. at Marty L. Miller Field on Wednesday and then head to Coppin State Saturday for another conference weekend.
