Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DOVER, Del. – With first place on the line, the Norfolk State softball team pulled off a doubleheader sweep of Delaware State to move into the top spot in the MEAC Northern Division. NSU downed the previous division-leading Hornets, 3-1 and 6-1, Friday afternoon in a key conference series at the Hornets Nest.

The Spartans improved to 9-2 in conference play and 20-19 overall after shutting down the Hornet offense and tallying 23 hits of their own combined in the two games. Delaware State dropped to 18-14-1 overall, 8-3 in MEAC play.

Sophomore Jamie Schulle scattered six hits in seven innings and allowed just the one earned run in Game 1. Schulle (10-9) also got the start in the second game and pitched three shutout innings before freshman Liz Riley pitched the last four innings in relief. Riley (10-10) scattered just three hits and struck out two to pick up the victory.

NSU continued to click on the offensive end as well, with six different players posting three hits on the afternoon. Freshman Haley Ward extended her hit streak to 17 with an RBI double in the first game and a run-scoring single in Game 2.

Junior Gipsy Ramirez hit her first home run in the first game as well, while freshman Whittni Gray went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI in the nightcap.

In Game 1, NSU struck first in the third inning. Senior Danielle Wright hit an infield single to start the frame, stole second and then went to third on a sacrifice bunt. Ward then doubled down the right field line for the first run of the day.

Sophomore Morgan Boyd made it 2-0 by herself in the fifth, leading things off with an infield hit and taking second on a wild pitch. Boyd stole third and then crossed the plate on another wild pitch. Ramirez hit a one-out homer in the sixth for an insurance run, and the Hornets scored their only run in the bottom half of the frame on Breanne Parr's RBI single to center.

Rachel Meagley (4-1) took the loss, giving up five hits and one earned run with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work. Wright and Ramirez each had a pair of hits in the contest.

Ward lined a single into left field in the first inning to plate freshman Alina Moriarty for the first run of Game 2. The Spartans then added three more in the fourth for a 4-0 lead.

Ramirez doubled with one out and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Melina Valles. Gray hit an infield single to bring home Ramirez, and Boyd followed with another infield single to put runners on the corners. After Boyd stole second, a wild pitch made it 3-0, and Wright lined a single back up the middle for the fourth run of the game.

Bria Green got one of those runs back for Delaware State in the bottom half of the fourth with her leadoff homer to left center. After Parr doubled in the next at bat, Riley came in and prevented any more damage for the rest of the game.

The Spartans added two more runs in the fifth. Ward singled and senior Whitney Holland and Valles walked to load the bases. Gray followed with an RBI infield single, and Boyd hit an RBI groundout to close out the day's scoring.

Delaware State had its best chance for a comeback in the fifth, putting runners on first and second with one out. NSU escaped the jam with a double play, and Riley shut DSU down in order in the sixth and seventh to close out the win.

Stephanie Sarris (7-4) suffered the loss, giving up three earned runs on six hits in 3.2 innings to start the game.

Along with Gray's three-hit game, Moriarty, Ward, Holland and Boyd each had two hits in the nightcap.

The two teams will finish out the series Saturday at 1 p.m.