DOVER, Del. – Delaware State's Ciaran Devenney and Jaylen Zielecki both hit a grand slam home run and combined for 11 runs batted in as Delaware State won the first game of the weekend series from Norfolk State in convincing fashion Saturday at Soldier Field.

Only one game was played Saturday instead of the customary Saturday doubleheader due to wet field conditions from rain earlier in the week. The game was halted after the top of the seventh due to the MEAC's 10-run rule.

The first-place Spartans (12-14, 7-3 MEAC North) struggled from the outset in allowing their most runs since a 19-10 loss to the same DSU program on April 6, 2014. The first three Delaware State batters reached base in the bottom of the first Saturday, two by walk and one on an error. Then Devenney recorded the Hornets' first hit of the day with a grand slam off Spartan starter Alex Mauricio (2-3). 

Devenney hit a two-run single in DSU's four-run second, and the rout was on. Jared Gillis added a three-run homer in the fifth and Zielecki tacked on a grand slam in the sixth for the Hornets (9-15, 5-5).

NSU scored all three of its runs via the long ball. Roger Hall hit his first career homer, a two-run shot in the fourth. Mauricio then blasted a solo homer, his first of the season, in the top of the sixth as the Spartans matched their previous season total in homers on the day.

Mauricio logged his third straight three-hit game for NSU. He is 9-for-11 in that span. Hall was 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Devenney went 2-for-3 with four runs scored and six RBI while Zielecki was 2-for-4 with five runs batted in. Gillis finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs, and Evan Regez was 3-for-5 and scored three times for the Hornets.

Lane DeLeon was the winning pitcher, allowing three runs with seven strikeouts over seven innings. Mauricio took the loss, allowing a season-high 13 runs (seven earned) in 4.2 innings of work.

The teams play a doubleheader beginning at noon on Sunday.