Box Score Photo Gallery | MEAC Bracket Day 1

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Two senior pitchers combined to give up just three hits and one unearned run to lead the Norfolk State softball team to a 6-1 win over North Carolina A&T on Thursday afternoon in the loser's bracket of the MEAC tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.

The Spartans (20-25) advanced to face Hampton on Friday at 10 a.m.

After getting shut out earlier in the day against Florida A&M, the Spartan offense pounded out 15 hits, all singles, against N.C. A&T. The top four players in the lineup of Heather Dunning, Morgan Boyd, Alina Moriarty and Kayla McNair combined to go 11-for-15.

Senior Stephanie Wheatley (5-4) picked up the win in relief, giving up just two hits in four innings of work. Jamie Schulle gave up the one unearned run and one hit over the first three innings of the game. Each also struck out three batters.

NSU allowed a combined four hits over its first two games of the tournament after Schulle's one-hitter against FAMU.

NSU jumped on the Aggies (16-28) with a pair of runs in the first. Dunning hit an infield single, and her smart base running got her to third on a bunt single by Boyd. One out later, McNair smacked one past the pitcher to score both.

The Aggies tallied a run in the third on a dropped fly by the Spartans, but right fielder Kathy Cortez prevented any more damage by throwing a second runner out at home.

The Spartans increased their lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth – the Aggies were the home team for the game – on a two-run hit by Moriarty. Cortez walked, and freshman Mikki Haury followed with a bunt single. Both players moved into scoring position on a throwing error on the play, and Moriarty followed with a two-run single back up the middle.

In the sixth, Dunning, Boyd and Moriarty singled to load the bases, and McNair was hit by a 1-2 pitch to make it 5-1. Another run came home on a double play, but the Aggies were able to escape without any more damage.

McNair hit 3-of-3 in the game with three RBI, while Moriarty drove in a pair while hitting 2-for-4. Dunning and Boyd each went 3-for-4 and each scored two runs.

Jax Kaye Woodard had two of the three hits for the Aggies.