PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Two freshmen played pivotal roles as the Norfolk State baseball team wrapped up its third straight MEAC Northern Division title on Saturday.

Freshman designated hitter Stephen Baughan's two-out RBI single in the top of the 13th inning scored the go-ahead run, and rookie left hander Tyler Morgan pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to give the Spartans a 2-1 win over Maryland Eastern Shore.

The victory in the 3-hour, 53-minute game – which was interrupted after the 11th inning due to a rain delay that lasted 1:01 – improved the Spartans' record to 24-17 overall, 16-5 in the MEAC with two scheduled regular-season conference games remaining. The win also secured a first-round bye in the MEAC Tournament, which runs May 17-20 in Salisbury, Md.

NSU senior lefty Devin Hemmerich did not factor into the decision in his quest to break the school's career wins record. He did, however, match the school record for most innings pitched in a game, going the first 11 innings before the game entered a rain delay. Hemmerich took his first no-decision of the season, but scattered eight hits and allowed just one run and no walks while striking out 11 in his 11 innings of work.

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Baughan led off with a double over the center fielder's head and advanced to third on a single by Justin Burrell. Terrence Pinkston's well-placed bunt single up the first-base line scored Baughan with the first run of the game.

But the Hawks tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Jordan Martin led off with a single. He stole second and scored when Justin Somerville's two-out bloop hit fell in front of the Spartan outfield.

The score remained that way into extra innings, with Hemmerich and the MDES (10-36, 7-15) bullpen continuing to hold the opposing offenses at bay. The four Hawk pitchers combined to strand 20 NSU runners, but NSU finally broke through in the 13th. Alex Mauricio drew a two-out walk from Hawk reliever Toby Hoskins (1-5). Mauricio stole second and took third when the throw to second sailed into centerfield. Baughan then lined a 2-2 slider into right-center for the go-ahead run.

Morgan (2-0) then worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 13th to close out his second relief win of the week. He allowed just one hit and struck out two in his two innings of work.

Hemmerich matched associate head coach Joey Seal for the most innings pitched in school history. Seal also worked 11 innings in a no-decision, that coming against Lafayette in 2008. Despite not getting the win, Hemmerich still recorded his seventh double-digit strikeout game of the season. He now has 111 punchouts this year.

Burrell finished 3-for-5, while Baughan and Brian Beard both added two hits in the Spartans' longest game of the season. The game fell just one inning shy of matching the school-record of 14 innings..

The teams play a doubleheader starting at noon on Sunday.