NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State rebounded from a 9-3 loss in game 1 with a solid pitching effort from Stephen Butt and Devin Hemmerich to take game 2, 3-1 against Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.

The Spartans are now 5-16 overall and 2-3 in the MEAC. UMES is now 4-13, 2-3.

Butt (1-1) earned his first win as a Spartan in the nightcap with four innings of one-run ball. Hemmerich pitched the final three innings without allowing a base runner to pick up his second save of the year. The victory also gave NSU head coach Claudell Clark his 200th coaching win with the Spartans.

NSU scored two runs thanks to a pair of hits and two two-out Hawk errors in the bottom of the first. With two out and runners on first and second, Cody Ellis laid down a nice bunt up the third base line. Ellis beat out the throw to first for an infield hit, and the throw by UMES third baseman Connor Breslin was wild, allowing Justin Lee to score. A throwing error then allowed Zach Markel to score from third with the second run of the frame.

The Hawks finally got to Butt in the top of the third on Byron Campbell's two-out RBI single, cutting their deficit in half. But NSU picked up insurance in the bottom of the fourth on Lee's two-out RBI single, taking a 3-1 lead.

The Spartans got some clutch pitching from Hemmerich to remain in the lead. Joshua James and Stephen Bull led off the top of the fifth with consecutive singles off Butt, and Hemmerich came in from the bullpen. Markel cut down James at home on a fielder's choice grounder for the first out of the inning. Hemmerich then got Campbell and Justin Dattilo to bounce into fielder's choices to end the threat.

Hemmerich finished it off by retiring the Hawks in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to help the Spartans earn their split.

Butt allowed five hits and one run in four innings, striking out four.

Lee was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in game 2 for the Spartans.

Game 1 was a tight, low-scoring affair until the Hawks scored five runs on six hits to break a 2-all tie in the top of the eighth. Greg Turlik had the first blow of the inning, a tie-breaking two-run homer with one out off of NSU reliever Jeff Di Fulgo, the third Spartan pitcher of the game. UMES wasn't done there, adding three more runs in the frame on two-out doubles by Brock Long and Bull.

UMES led 2-0 after two innings thanks to RBI singles by Dattilo and James. NSU, which was held without a hit or base runner through three innings, chipped away and tied it with single runs in the fifth and sixth. Ellis singled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth, then Ross Cardwell tie it with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.

But that was all the Spartans could manage off UMES freshman right hander Jesse Stinnett (2-3). He pitched a complete game, allowing just six hits and three runs, only two of which were earned. He walked none, hit one and struck out six.

Di Fulgo (0-2) took the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) in one-plus inning of work.

Seven different Hawks had two hits each as UMES out-hit NSU 16-8 in the opener. Ellis (2-for-4) was the only Spartan with more than one hit in game 1. He and Lee both had three hits on the afternoon for the Spartans.

The teams conclude their series Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon.