For Immediate Release
Feb. 22, 2020
NORFOLK, Va. – Visiting Morehead State used opportunistic hitting to earn a 5-4, 9-6 doubleheader sweep of Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon at
Marty L. Miller Field.
In game 1, the Eagles (2-4) were outhit 11-5, but scored all their runs thanks to a trio of two-out hits to hold off the Spartans (2-4). In the nightcap, the Eagles scored eight runs in the fourth through seventh innings to pull away.
Danny Hosley and
Ty Hanchey both had four hits on the day for NSU.
Game 1
The Eagles used a three-run Zach Boyd homer in the second and a two-out RBI single by Bryce Hensor in the seventh to win a tight opener. MSU led 4-0 after Boyd's two-out blast in the second and had righty Jason Goe pitch four scoreless innings to open the game.
But NSU erupted with four runs thanks to five hits to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Adam Collins got it started with a double and scored on Hanchey's single.
Alsander Womack added an RBI single and
Stephen Baughan capped the rally with a two-run double to tie the game.
The score stayed that way until the seventh. Boyd walked with two outs and stole second. Hensor then drove Boyd in with a single to right-center.
NSU threatened in the final innings. The Spartans got two runners on but stranded them in the eighth. Then in the ninth, Hanchey singled,
Caleb Ward doubled him to third and Baughan was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. But MSU reliever Jake Ziegelmeyer got a come-backer for a force out at home, then got
Khie Simms to foul out to end it.
John Bakke (1-0) picked up the win in relief for the Eagles. He allowed just one hit, gave up no runs and struck out six in 3.1 innings. Ziegelmeyer worked the final 1.1 innings for the save.
Alex Wright (0-1) took the loss for the Spartans despite allowing just four hits and striking out eight in seven innings. He walked five and allowed five runs.
Hanchey was 3-for-4 and Ward had two hits for NSU.
Game 2
MSU outhit the Spartans 12-10 and again had to hold off NSU late. The Eagles scored the game's first run in the second. Stephen Hill walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored an unearned run after a pair of sacrifices.
But the Spartans wasted no time in answering, scoring three times in the bottom of the second. Baughan and
Mason Velasquez led off with two straight singles. Baughan scored on a
Khie Simms grounder that was misplayed for an error. Then both Velasquez and Simms scored on Hosley's two-out single which was also misplayed for another error.
But the Eagles took charge with four in the fourth. Arthur Sells had an RBI single and Brody Shoupe an RBI double in the inning. Ryan Layne walked and scored in the fifth, then hit a two-run single in the sixth for the Eagles. Dom Peroni's RBI double in the seventh stretched MSU's lead to 9-4.
Womack hit an RBI single in the fifth and
Caleb Ward doubled in two runs in the seventh as the Spartans hung around. NSU again made things interesting in the ninth off Ziegelmeyer, as Hosley and Hanchey led off the ninth with back-to-back singles. But Ziegelmeyer retired the next three hitters, two by strikeout, to earn his second save of the day.
Alex Garbrick (1-1) was the winner for MSU. He struck out seven batters and gave up four hits and four runs (two earned) in six innings.
Ridge Walker (1-1) was saddled with the loss after yielding six earned runs in 5.1 innings.
Hosley had a season-high three hits in the nightcap and ended the day 4-for-7. Hanchey also went 4-for-7 on the day. Ward and Velasquez added three hits during the two games. Womack, Ward and Baughan had two RBIs apiece.
The teams play the series finale at noon on Sunday.
