Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Playing its second doubleheader in two days, the Norfolk State softball team showed no signs of slowing down in a doubleheader sweep of South Carolina State Thursday afternoon at Lady Bulldogs Field. The Spartans allowed just three hits in a 4-0 shutout in Game 1, while the offense found life in Game 2 in a 10-0 victory in six innings.

Sophomore Jamie Schulle had one of the best pitching performances of her collegiate career in the first game, giving up just three hits in seven shutout innings. It marked the first seven-inning shutout of her career. Freshman Liz Riley scattered eight hits over six shutout innings in the second game to help even NSU's record at 5-5 on the season.

The Bulldogs fell to 9-13 overall. NSU posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since April 2009 when the Spartans held S.C. State and North Carolina Central scoreless during a five-day period.

Freshman second baseman Alina Moriarty and sophomore right fielder Morgan Boyd each added a pair of hits and a run scored in the first game, when NSU plated three runs in the top of the second for all the scoring the Spartans would need. NSU pounded out 12 hits in the second game, with Boyd posting three of those hits at the top of the lineup.

Boyd scored three runs in Game 2, while junior infielder Gipsy Ramirez went 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Senior third baseman Whitney Holland had two hits, including a two-run home run, and freshman outfielder Haley Ward continued her hot start to the season with a 1-for-2 effort and two RBI.

Hitting fifth in the lineup at designated player in the first game, Riley hit a one-out double in the top of the second to get things going for NSU. Moriarty singled to right field to score Riley, and one out later sophomore first baseman Melina Valles doubled to the opposite field to plate Moriarty. Valles scored the third run of the game when junior left fielder Marjorie Pettitt singled off Bulldog starter Vianney Gomez.

Gomez pitched all seven innings and allowed eight hits and four runs, three earned, to drop her record to 6-10.

NSU scored an extra run in the fifth when senior center fielder Danielle Wright brought home Boyd from third on a sacrifice hit.

Raven Johnson got the starting nod for the Bulldogs in the second game and pitched a solid four innings to start, giving up just one unearned run in the first inning. The Spartans chased Johnson in the fifth, though, with a four-run inning.

Freshman first baseman Robyn Mitchell singled to open the frame, and Wright put runners in scoring position with a double to center field. Boyd then singled to bring home the first run of the inning, and one out later Ramirez hit a two-run single to center field for a 4-0 lead.

Holland and Moriarty then stroked back-to-back singles to make it 5-0, but relief pitcher Kiyana Merritt struck out Mitchell to strand the bases loaded.

Merritt did not have the same luck in the next inning, as the Spartans put five more runs on the board to run-rule the Bulldogs. Wright and Boyd reached base with no outs, and Ward plated both runners with a one-bagger to right field. Ramirez doubled to score Ward, and then Holland launched her two-run shot for her third home run of the season.

Gomez came in to relieve Merritt and retired the next three batters to get out of the inning. Riley, on the other hand, worked out of numerous jams in the game. S.C. State left at least one runner on base in every inning, including two in the first and third innings and three in the second inning when the Bulldogs loaded the bases with two outs.

Schulle improved her record to 3-2 so far this year in Game 1, while Riley picked up her second win in as many days in the nightcap.

NSU will return home and face George Mason next Tuesday at 2 p.m. for a twinbill at the NSU Softball Field.