Box Score DOVER, Del. – Delaware State broke open a close game with a nine-run fifth inning for a 10-0, five-inning win over the Norfolk State softball team Saturday afternoon at DSU's Hornets Nest field.

After being held to just one run and one hit in the first four innings, the Hornets exploded for eight hits in the bottom of the fifth. Delaware State ended the game on the eight-run rule to move into a tie for first place in the MEAC North with NSU at 9-3. The Hornets improved to 19-14-1 overall, while the Spartans fell to 20-20.

Casey Beighley and Rachel Meagley (5-1), meanwhile, combined to limit NSU to just three hits on the afternoon, two off the bat of freshman Haley Ward.

After Delaware State took a 1-0 lead in the first thanks to two errors on NSU, the Spartans got out of a first-and-third, no out jam in the fourth after sophomore Jamie Schulle came in to relieve freshman Liz Riley.

The Hornets did break through in the fifth, beginning with Stephanie Martello's two-run single with no outs. Breanne Parr and Ashlyn Campbell followed with RBI singles, and a sacrifice fly from Beighley made it 6-0. A short time later, Campbell came home on a double steal, and Bria Green launched a three-run homer with two outs to end the game.

Green went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBI. Chelsea Stern scored a pair of runs and hit 2-for-3.

Riley (10-11) suffered the loss, giving up five runs, four earned, on five hits in 3.2 innings of work. Ward extended her hit streak to 18 games.

NSU will attempt to rebound Wednesday with a 3 p.m. doubleheader against Howard at the NSU Softball Field.