Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State dropped a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Delaware, and then UMBC completed the 2014 Spartan Classic with an 8-1 victory over the Spartan softball team on Sunday afternoon at the NSU Softball Field.

In NSU's first game of the day – the third overall for Sunday – the Spartans and Blue Hens engaged in a tight battle. Norfolk State (2-9) actually got on the board first in the opening inning as NSU loaded the bases with one out.

Junior Liz Riley drew a walk to score the first run of the game, but Delaware pitcher Kelly Lupton got out of the jam when NSU left the bases loaded.

Delaware (5-9) scored with an RBI single in the third, and then Carolyn Szymanski hit a two-run double in the fourth for a 3-1 lead.

The Spartans got a run back in the fifth on junior Alina Moriarty's second home run of the year, but Lupton (2-2) shut NSU down as she pitched 6.2 innings of relief for the win. She struck out 10 and gave up just three hits and one earned run.

Senior Jamie Schulle (2-4) gave up eight hits and three runs, one earned, in seven innings of work for NSU.

Nicole Casagrand then scattered nine hits in all seven innings for UMBC (9-3), which pounded out 12 hits against two Spartan pitchers.

It was the Spartans, though, who actually scored first. Sophomore Heather Dunning singled to start the bottom of the first, and a bunt single by senior Morgan Boyd was followed by another hit by Moriarty for an early 1-0 lead. Casagrand (2-1) avoided any more damage by getting three straight outs.

Danielle O'Neill hit a three-run homer in a five-run second for the Retrievers. UMBC added one more run in the fourth, and Taylor Hall's two-run bomb in the sixth completed the scoring.

Senior Stephanie Wheatley gave up six hits and three runs, none earned, while striking out four in 5.2 innings of relief.

Moriarty finished the day 4-for-7. Boyd and Heather Dunning each had a pair of hits as well against UMBC.

NSU will head to the Winthrop/Adidas Invitational next weekend, beginning with a pair of games against Eastern Kentucky and Wright State on Friday.