Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DOVER, Del. – Zach Markel hit two of Norfolk State's four home runs Saturday, and the Spartans got strong pitching from a quartet of players to complete a doubleheader sweep of Delaware State at Solider Field.

The Spartans (11-17, 6-5 MEAC) dealt the Hornets (19-9, 9-2) their first two losses in MEAC Northern Division play this season by scores of 5-3 in game one and 4-2 in game two. The Spartans snapped three DSU streaks Saturday: the Hornets had won seven in a row overall, nine in a row in MEAC Northern Division play, and nine in a row over NSU dating to last season.

DSU took an early 1-0 lead on Cameron Onderko's RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the second off Spartan starter Chris Horne in the opener. But the Spartans scored the game's next five runs to surge into the lead. Freshman Robert Barefoot hit his first career home run, a solo shot to lead off the third against DSU ace Jordan Elliott. One out later, Chase Kyriacou singled to second base and Markel followed with a two-run blast to give NSU a 3-1 lead.

NSU added to its lead in the fifth. Barefoot led off the frame with a single and scored on Markel's two-out double. Cameron Day followed with a single down the left-field line that plated Markel to extend the lead to 5-1.

The Hornets cut into their deficit with single runs in the fifth and sixth. J.P. Frey tripled to start the fifth and scored on Cameron Cecil's groundout. In the seventh, Frey was hit by a pitch from NSU reliever Justin Bhatti, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Ryan Haas.

Bhatti allowed base runners in both the eighth and ninth innings, but kept DSU off the board to pick up his first save of the year. Bhatti saved the win for Horne (2-2), who allowed just five hits and two runs in six innings. Horne struck out two and walked none.

Kyriacou went 3-for-5 for the Spartans, who outhit DSU 12-8. Barefoot and Markel both went 2-for-4 and scored twice. Markel also knocked in three. Eight of NSU's nine starters had at least one hit.

Elliott (4-1) took his first loss of the season after giving up 10 hits and five runs in six frames.

The Spartans' offense got going quickly in game two off DSU starter Matt McClain. Justin Lee led off the game by reaching second on a Hornet error. Two batters later, Markel scored Lee with a sacrifice fly.

NSU made it 2-0 when Vaas led off the second inning with a solo homer, the first of his career, off McClain.
The Hornets cut their deficit to 2-1 in the second. Eddie Sorondo led off by doubling off Spartan pitcher Richie Salter. He moved to third on Hassan Evans' single and scored on a squeeze bunt by Onderko.

Both teams scored in the sixth. Markel hit a one-out solo homer to right against McClain. But Sorondo got the run back with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth, cutting NSU's advantage to 3-2.

But the Spartans added insurance in the top of the seventh and final inning. Ryan Montgomery, who singled earlier in the inning, scored on pinch hitter Cody Ellis' single to stretch the margin back to two runs, at 4-2.

That was enough for NSU reliever Raymond Morton. Frey and Haas both singled and DSU had runners on first and second with one out. But Morton got the final two outs to earn his third save of the season.

Salter allowed just two hits and two runs in five strong innings for his team-leading fourth win of the season (4-3). He walked four and fanned four. Morton allowed four hits in two scoreless innings.

McClain (4-2) gave up three runs, two earned, while striking out five in six innings.

Day and Vaas had two hits each for NSU in the nightcap. Sorondo and Evans did likewise for DSU.

Markel finished the day 3-for-6 with five RBI for the Spartans.

The teams complete their series tomorrow with a single game slated for a 1 p.m. start.