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ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Maiven McKnight gave up two unearned runs in a complete-game effort, and North Carolina A&T knocked the Norfolk State softball team out of the MEAC championship with a 4-2 win in the loser's bracket of the conference tournament at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex.
 
Errors once again did NSU in, as all four runs scored by the Aggies on Thursday afternoon were unearned. The loss ended the Spartans' season at 14-27 overall. North Carolina A&T improved to 15-30 and advanced to the next round of the tournament on Friday morning.
 
McKnight (9-12) scattered seven hits and struck out two in seven innings of work. Her counterpart, NSU senior Liz Riley, also allowed seven hits and gave up four unearned runs with three strikeouts.
 
A throwing error on the Spartans, their second of four miscues in the game, plated a run for the Aggies in the top of the second. But the Spartans answered in their half of the inning.
 
NSU put the first two runners on base and then moved them into scoring position on a groundout. After an error on the Aggies loaded the bases, senior catcher Sommer Di Fulgo lofted one down the right field line. Aggie second baseman Zebresha Blakeney made a fantastic catch on the run, but with her momentum taking her into foul territory and away from the infield, junior third baseman Whitney Williams was able to score easily from third.
 
Tied at 1-1, the Spartans threatened in the fifth with one out. Junior center fielder Heather Dunning lined one off the third baseman's glove and sophomore left fielder Devon Bitler dropped one into shallow left. Aggie shortstop Alejandra Barcenas made a nice catch on a hard liner by senior right fielder Alina Moriarty that was destined for center field, and Barcenas then stepped on second to doubled up Dunning.
 
The Aggies took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the sixth inning for a 3-1 lead. Two singles started the inning, and one out later an error on the Spartans loaded the bases. NSU got the second out on a force at home, but a walk by Jillian Nobles and a single in front of the plate off the bat of McKnight brought home both runs.
 
Williams prevented any more damage when she made a great diving stop on a liner between short and third.
 
She then singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth and went to second on an error on the play. A groundout moved pinch runner Hannah Haustein to third, and senior Robyn Mitchell brought her home on a sharp liner between short and third to cut the deficit to 3-2.
 
N.C. A&T tallied an insurance run in the seventh on Dasia Moore's single into left field for the final scoring of the contest.
 
Dunning had three of NSU's hits, while Mitchell went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
 
NSU's senior foursome of Di Fulgo, Moriarty, Mitchell and Riley closed out their careers on Thursday. The latter three were four-year players who led the Spartans to the MEAC Championship game in 2013 and 89 wins during that time (including a 52-20 MEAC mark).
 
Moriarty hit a solo homer in the first game on Thursday to move past Morgan Boyd for the school's career hits record with 206. She also finishes as the school record holder for doubles (39) and at bats (601). In addition, the native of Chesapeake, Va., ranks second in career total bases (313), third in home runs (20), fourth in sacrifice flies (11) and fifth in RBI (121), games played (187) and starts (181). She was a three-time all-MEAC honoree after spending her first three years at second base and this season in the outfield. Moriarty finished with a .343 career batting average.
 
Mitchell earned second-team all-conference honors last year and was named to the MEAC All-Tournament team in 2013 after NSU's run to the if-necessary game of the championship round. Also a Chesapeake native, she batted .252 in 118 career games, including 87 starts. A designated player and part-time first baseman, Mitchell totaled 45 runs, 68 hits, 18 doubles, six home runs and 60 RBI during her time with the Spartans.
 
Riley, who hails from Virginia Beach, Va., ended her Spartan career with 26 wins in the circle and a 3.66 ERA. She started 61 games and made 107 appearances overall, marks that rank her seventh and third, respectively, in NSU's record book. She also ranks sixth in strikeouts (236), seventh in innings (409.0), 10^th in wins, 11^th in strikeouts per seven innings (4.04) and 14^th in complete games (27).
 
Di Fulgo arrived at NSU after two years at Louisburg College. She started at catcher in all but one game during the last two seasons. She hit .228 in 86 games with 27 runs, 49 hits, 10 doubles, five homers and 25 RBI during her two years with the program. Also a local from Virginia Beach, she led the MEAC this season with 16 runners throw out.
 
NSU is expected to return 13 of the 17 players from this year's team.