Box Score
NORFOLK, Va. – Sophomore outfielder Cameron Day hit his first collegiate home run and junior right hander Chris Horne pitched a complete game to carry Norfolk State to a 9-1 win over Maryland Eastern Shore on Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
Ross Cardwell and Tyon Ore added three hits and two RBI apiece for the Spartans (17-26, 11-9 MEAC), who out-hit UMES (11-34, 10-11) 14-8 to take the regular-season series from the Hawks 6-3.
Horne (5-5) scattered eight hits and did not walk a batter in earning his team-high fifth victory of the season. He fanned seven, matching his career high.
Day got the scoring started in loud fashion in the bottom of the first. UMES starter Jesus Hernandez struck out the first two batters he faced before running into trouble. Cardwell singled to center field and Day followed by launching his first career homer deep over the left-field wall for a 2-0 Spartan lead.
UMES cut its deficit in half on James Newsome's two-out RBI single in the top of the fourth. But the Spartans scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to extend their advantage to 5-1. In the fifth, Day doubled into the left-field corner. Ryan Montgomery then laid a bunt down the third-base line for an infield single, and the throw by Hernandez was errant to allow Day to score.
Cardwell and Ore each hit run-scoring singles in both the sixth and eighth innings. Shane Hoggard also added a two-run single in the eighth to pad the Spartans' lead to 9-1.
That was more than enough for Horne, who struck out the side in the ninth. Horne has allowed two earned runs or fewer in all five of his starts this season.
Cardwell and Ore each finished 3-for-4 and both matched their career highs in hits. Cardwell also scored a career-high three runs. Montgomery went 3-for-3 and reached base in all five of his plate appearances. Sunday marked his first game with at least three hits since March 25, when he was 4-for-5 at Coppin State.
Brandon Schott and Jeffrey Fleetwood had two hits apiece for UMES. Hernandez (0-6) took the loss after yielding nine hits and four runs in 5.1 innings.
The Spartans play their final home game at 2 p.m. Wednesday against Longwood before concluding their regular season with a four-game set at Coppin State Thursday through Saturday.
