Box Score NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State softball team continued to hit the ball all over the field and finished the series sweep of Howard with a 10-2 victory on Saturday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field.

NSU had 13 more hits on the day after tallying 22 in Friday's doubleheader, won by the Spartans via scores of 10-0, 14-0. A big eight-run third inning was the difference on Saturday, and the victory improved NSU's record to 6-0 in the MEAC and 13-15 overall.

Sophomores Haley Ward and Alina Moriarty led NSU, as each finished 3-for-3 on the day. Moriarty drove in four runs and scored a pair, while Ward scored twice and also drove in a run.

Only a two-run home run by Howard catcher Jasmine Gammons in the fifth prevented NSU from shutting out the Bison (3-19, 1-5) for the entire three-game series. Nevertheless, junior Jamie Schulle (9-8) pitched all five innings for the Spartans, giving up those two earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

The Spartans scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead against the Bison. Ward lofted a double toward the left field corner, and Moriarty followed with a single to center to score the first run of the game. Sophomore Robyn Mitchell hit an RBI single into left center to plate Moriarty.

Then in the third, NSU broke the game open. Junior Morgan Boyd reached on a bunt single and Ward singled to put two runners on. Moriarty lined a double into the right-center field gap to bring home both, but Howard looked to be in good shape after turning a double play.

Two errors on the Bison later in the inning helped keep NSU going, though. Moriarty scored when Howard shortstop Jenny Ly misplayed a hit off the bat of junior Kathy Cortez. With runners on first and second, freshman Whitney Williams hacked at a pitch up in the strike zone and lined it into left field. Both Cortez and junior Melina Valles scored when the ball scooted past left fielder Ashley Canty.

Pinch hitter Marjorie Pettitt brought home Williams with a hit over the third baseman's head, and then Ward and Moriarty followed with RBI singles to score the final two runs.

NSU will host Longwood for a doubleheader on Thursday at the NSU Softball Field. The first game gets going at 5 p.m.