NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State baseball team returns to the confines of Marty L. Miller Field this weekend for a three-game set with Morehead State. The teams are slated to play a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday, and the final game of the series is scheduled for a noon start on Sunday.

The Spartans (2-2) are in the midst of a stretch of three straight home weekend series to open the 2020 schedule.

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Scouting the Spartans
NSU is coming off a 10-1 setback at VCU in its first road game of the season on Tuesday. The Spartans notched eight hits, three by catcher Ty Hanchey. Alsander Womack doubled twice and knocked in Hanchey in the third for NSU's only run.

The Spartans, who opened the year by taking two of three against Wagner last weekend, have gotten off to a strong start at the plate this season. NSU is hitting .294 as a team, which leads the MEAC so far. Hanchey has been the catalyst, batting .538 (7-for-13) with four RBI and three runs scored. His .625 on-base percentage also ranks second in the conference.

Womack is hitting .368 with a team-high three doubles and four RBI, which ties Hanchey and Stephen Baughan for the team-lead. Caleb Ward (.313), Baughan (.308), Danny Hosley (.308) and Adam Collins (.300) are all off to fast starts in the batter's box.

NSU's weekend rotation of Alex Wright, Ridge Walker and Justin Walton combined for 19 strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched last week.

Scouting the Eagles
Morehead State opened the season by dropping four games against Michigan State last weekend in Mount Pleasant, S.C. The Spartans of the Big Ten outscored the Eagles 35-12 in the four-game set.

Jon Burghardt and Peyton Dillingham paced the Morehead State offense with three hits apiece last weekend. Stephen Hill hit a two-run home run in game 2 of the series.

Morehead State is coming off a 40-win season in 2019. Like the Spartans, the Eagles also advanced to their tournament championship round before falling short. The Eagles lost to Jacksonville State in the finals of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

Senior MSU pitcher Jason Goe was a preseason All-OVC selection for the Eagles, who were picked to finish fifth in their conference.  Fellow right hander Alex Garbrick, who struck out nine in seven innings last week against Michigan State, was selected in the 40^th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Yankees, but opted to return to school.

Series History
NSU and Morehead State have never met before. NSU has only played two game in its history against teams from the OVC, which came in 1990 and 1991 against Southeast Missouri.

Morehead State is the first of two OVC teams on the Spartans' schedule this year. NSU travels to Eastern Kentucky for a three-game series March 6-8.