NORFOLK, Va. – Senior left handed pitcher Devin Hemmerich broke Norfolk State's career strikeout record Friday afternoon, fanning 12 over seven scoreless innings to lead Norfolk State to an 8-2 win over Maryland Eastern Shore at Marty L. Miller Field.

Hemmerich (7-2) allowed just four hits in his seven innings of work to win his sixth straight decision. His strikeout of Jordan Wesley to lead off the second was the record-breaking 270th of his career, surpassing associate head coach Joey Seal's previous record of 269 from 2005-08. Hemmerich went on to fan nine more, including four in the sixth, to reach double figures for the fifth time this season and fourth time in his last five starts.

Brian Beard and Alex Mauricio both went 3-for-4 to lead a 14-hit attack for NSU (16-14, 10-3 MEAC North), which won its fourth in a row and seventh in its last eight ballgames. Mauricio matched a season-high with three RBI and also stole two bases. Tony Leite and Andre' Moore both added two hits for the Spartans.

The Hawks (7-25, 5-8) put up their best threat in the top of the first. Hemmerich walked two in the first and Ryan Rotondo reached on an infield single. But Hemmerich fanned Blake Coleman and Dominic DeBlaisie with the bases loaded to end the threat.

The Spartans struck for two in the bottom of the first. Mauricio hit a two-out RBI triple to score Leite, and Mauricio came home on a wild pitch by MDES starter Wesley Martin (3-3).

Moore led off the third with a double and scored on Beard's triple. Mauricio tacked on an RBI single to stretch the lead to 4-0.

NSU added more insurance with four runs in the sixth through eighth innings. Johnny Mayer hit a sacrifice fly to score Stephen Baughan in the sixth. Beard and Mauricio hit consecutive doubles to start the seventh, with Mauricio later scoring on a passed ball. Moore accounted for the Spartans' final run with an RBI single in the eighth.

The Hawks scored twice in the ninth to avoid the shutout against NSU reliever Quenten Thomas. Jordan Martin broke up the shutout with an RBI single and Rotondo added a sacrifice fly.

Beard and Mauricio both ended a homer shy of the cycle for NSU.

Martin took the loss for the Hawks, allowing nine hits and five runs in six innings. Martin went 2-for-5 for the Hawks.

The teams conclude their series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.