Box Score

NORFOLK, Va. – Chase Kyriacou, Cameron Day and Chris Warren tallied three hits apiece to lead host Norfolk State to its fourth straight win, 8-4, over North Carolina Central on Tuesday afternoon.

The Spartans (15-21) recorded 13 hits, their sixth straight game with at least 10. Three Spartan pitchers, meanwhile, combined to limit the Eagles (13-28) to four hits while striking out 12.

NSU never trailed. Mikey Bruno walked and scored on Day's two-out infield single in the bottom of the first to account for the game's first run. But the Eagles took advantage of three walks by Spartan starter Horace Smith and an RBI groundout by Carter Williamson to tie the score at 1-all in the top of the third.

The Spartans answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third, and they never looked back. Bruno lined a two-run triple into the right-field corner to score Justin Lee and Kyriacou, who both singled. Bruno then scored on Day's second RBI single of the day to give NSU a 4-1 lead.

The Eagles rallied to within 4-3 in the top of the fourth. Two more walks from Smith started the inning, and Alex Moore reached base on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Dylan Drayton's sacrifice fly plated Michael Romano to bring NCCU within 4-2. Luis Diaz then followed with an RBI single that scored Deion Doubledee to cut NSU's lead to one. Diaz's hit was the first and only hit off Smith, who pitched the first four innings.

Kyriacou singled in runs in both the fourth and sixth innings to give the Spartans some breathing room, while NSU reliever Richie Salter (3-0) held NCCU to a single run in three innings of relief work.

Lee added a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, and Warren scored later on the same putout thanks to an Eagle error to extend the NSU edge to 8-4.

Jordan Egan pitched two hitless, scoreless innings of work for his second save of the year. He fanned three. Salter picked up the win, allowing three hits and one run while striking out four in his three innings of work. Smith added five strikeouts in his four frames.

The three base hits are a career-high for Kyriacou, while Day matched his career best with his three singles. Warren scored three times, and Bruno crossed the plate twice.

Ruben Rios (1-3) took the loss for the Eagles, allowing 13 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in 7.1 innings.

NSU plays a 1 p.m. doubleheader this Saturday at William & Mary, and a single home game against Virginia State at 1 p.m. Sunday.