DURHAM, N.C. – Norfolk State saw its nine-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday night, as host North Carolina Central scored five times in the bottom of the third and pulled away for an 8-4 win over the Spartans in a non-conference game at Durham Athletic Park.

Zach Michalski homered and drove in four for the Eagles (18-25). Terrence Pinkston had two hits and Stephen Baughan knocked in two runs for the Spartans (21-15), who lost their first game since April 8.

NSU took what proved to be a short-lived lead by scoring three runs in the top of the third. Tony Leite singled with one out and scored on starting pitcher Brian Beard's two-out double. After Roger Hall walked, Baughan doubled down the left-field line to score both Beard and Hall for a 3-0 NSU edge.

But NCCU capitalized on four walks in a five-run bottom of the third. The first four batters of the frame coaxed free passes from Beard, plating one run. Chase Anderson relieved Beard and recorded a strikeout, but Jordan Raby then hit a two-run double to tie the game. Michalski capped the rally with a two-run single for a 5-3 Eagle lead.

Michalski hit a two-run home run in the fifth and Andrew Valichka a solo shot in the sixth as NCCU stretched its lead to 8-3.

Pinkston led off with a single in the seventh and later scored on an RBI single by Johnny Mayer to bring the Spartans within 8-4. But that was all NSU could muster against the NCCU bullpen.

The Spartans outhit NCCU 7-6. Pinkston, who went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, was the only Spartan with more than one hit. Michalski was 2-for-3 for the Eagles.

Beard (0-3) took the loss for NSU. He allowed just one hit, but walked six and yielded four runs in two-plus innings. Spartan pitchers did record 11 strikeouts in eight innings of work, including six by Anderson and four in two scoreless innings by freshman lefty Tyler Morgan.

Jake McCort, the second of four NCCU pitchers, earned the win. He pitched 3.1 innings, giving up two hits and one run.

The Spartans return home for a three-game series against Delaware State this Saturday and Sunday at Marty L. Miller Field. The Spartans, who are 14-3 in the MEAC, are in first place in the conference's northern division after winning their last seven league games. DSU is in second, at 10-8. The teams play a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a single game at noon on Sunday.