NORFOLK, Va. – Syeed Mahdi hit a three-run home run and Jonathan Mahoney struck out nine to help Norfolk State beat Delaware State 12-8 in the first game of their doubleheader Sunday, but the Hornets rallied to nip the Spartans 4-3 in the nightcap to take the rubber-game of the weekend series between the two at Marty L. Miller Field.

Stephen Baughan hit a two-run homer in game two for the Spartans (9-19, 7-5 MEAC North), who still sit in second place in the conference's Northern Division despite dropping two of three for the second straight weekend.

Game 1: NSU 12, DSU 8
The Spartans got the bats going early in the opener. Tony Leite and Mahdi hit run-scoring singles in the bottom of the first. In his next at-bat, Mahdi crushed an inside offering from Sean McGrath over the left-field wall for a three-run homer, giving NSU a 5-0 edge.

The Hornets (5-25, 3-9) got three runs back on a three-run home run by Cole Garey in the fourth, but the Spartans scored the next seven runs to break the game open. The big blow was a five-run fifth that included a two-run single by Leite and run-scoring singles by Johnny Mayer and Justin Hayes.

The Hornets made it interesting by scoring five in the seventh off three NSU relievers. Garey drove in a run with a double, Todd Henry had an RBI single and the Hornets took advantage of two NSU errors, two walks and a balk to draw within 12-8.

DSU loaded the bases with three walks in the ninth before Joey Santos struck out the final batter of the game to close out the win.

Mahoney allowed eight hits and three runs, two earned, over six innings to win his team-high fourth game of the year. He struck out nine, matching his season high. Santos fanned four more in 2.2 scoreless innings for his third save of the season.

Mahdi was 2-for-5 and matched his career high with four RBI. Mayer finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored, and Leite and Hayes each added two hits and two runs for the Spartans. Hayes also swiped three bases.

Garey went 3-for-5 with four RBI for DSU.

Game 2: DSU 4, NSU 3
Miguel Rivera's two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth affair in the nightcap. The Hornets got RBI singles by Adrian Hill and Henry in the second to take the early lead. But one batter after a walk to Hayes in the bottom of the third, Baughan launched his team-leading third homer of the season over the fence in left to tie things up.

Hill tripled and scored on an RBI groundout by John Weglarz to give the Hornets a 3-2 advantage in the fourth. But NSU tied the score at 3-all in the fifth. Mikey Delgado, in his first start of the season, led off with a double, took third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a balk by DSU starter Maisonet.

DSU had the answer in the seventh. Weglarz led off with a double off NSU starter Trey Hanchey. Hanchey recorded the next two outs before Rivera hit a single through the left side of the infield. Weglarz beat the throw home for the go-ahead run.

Ismael Herrera hit a one-out single off Maisonet in the bottom of the seventh to put the potential tying run on base. Maisonet struck out Delgado for the second out, then picked off pinch runner Troy White trying to steal second base to end the game.

Both starters went the distance in game two. Maisonet (1-2) allowed five hits and three runs while striking out five in all seven innings. Hanchey (0-5) pitched a season-high seven innings for his first career complete game. He allowed 10 hits and four runs.

Baughan went 2-for-3 in the nightcap for NSU. Hill was 2-for-3 for the Hornets, who outhit the Spartans 10-5.

For NSU, Hayes finished the doubleheader 3-for-3 with three walks and a trio of stolen bases. Garey totaled four hits on the day for DSU.

NSU is back in action Wednesday in a 6 p.m. non-conference game at North Carolina Central in Durham, N.C.