DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to edge Norfolk State 5-4 in a non-conference game on Tuesday afternoon at Durham Athletic Park.
Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the ninth, the host Eagles (3-1) took advantage of one hit, two walks, two wild pitches and a hit batter before a bases-loaded balk allowed pinch runner Alex Ortiz to score the winning run.
The loss drops NSU to 0-4 on the season.
The Spartans held leads of 1-0 and 4-1 Tuesday.
Justin Hayes led off the game with a single and scored on a double by reigning MEAC Co-Player of the Week
Alsander Womack to put the Spartans up early.
Timothy Fischvogt's two-out RBI single in the second tied the game at 1-all.
The pitching staffs settled in and controlled things until the sixth. Womack and
Caleb Ward drew walks from Eagle starter Jonathan Peacock before NSU first baseman
Korey Singh blasted a two-out, three-run homer to put NSU back in front, 4-1. It was Singh's first homer of the year.
Trey Maslin brought NCCU within 4-2 with an RBI single in the eighth to set the stage for the Eagles' comeback in the ninth. In the final frame, Nick Fajardo walked and Maslin singled before a wild pitch moved both runners up. Josh Brammell then walked to load the bases with one out.
The second wild pitch in the inning allowed Fajardo to score. After Corey Joyce was intentionally walked, Jacob Raby was hit by a pitch to force in Maslin with the tying run. Ortiz then crossed the plate with the winning run on a balk by reliever
Tyrin Everette.
Mike Pyers (0-1), the seventh of eight pitchers used by the Spartans, took the loss. He was charged with allowing the final run. Austin Vernon got the win for the Eagles with two scoreless innings of relief.
Womack, Hayes, Singh,
Ty Hanchey and
Khie Simms accounted for NSU's five hits. Maslin had two of NCCU's eight hits.
The Spartans are scheduled to play their first home games of the year this weekend when they welcome NJIT for a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.
