DURHAM, N.C. – Norfolk State rode some clutch late hitting and a strong relief outing from James Deloatch to earn its first win of the year, 8-5, in game one of Saturday's non-conference doubleheader at North Carolina Central. The Eagles bounced back to take game two, 7-0, to earn a split of the games at Durham Athletic Park.

In game one, NSU (1-5) rallied from a 4-1 deficit to take a 5-4 lead on freshman Rhay Street's RBI single in the eighth. Mason Velasquez provided insurance with a three-run homer in the ninth. Deloatch, meanwhile, allowed just one unearned run and struck out a career-high six in four innings pitched to collect his first career win.

Cameron Norgren's two-run single in the first gave the Eagles (4-2) an early lead. Alsander Womack singled in the fourth and scored on a sacrifice fly by Khie Simms to cut that deficit in half. But the Eagles scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to increase their advantage to 4-1.

But NSU scored seven runs in its final four times at-bat. Simms and Trent Hanchey hit RBI singles in the sixth. In the seventh, Danny Hosley walked and eventually scored on an Eagle error to tie the game.

In the eighth, pinch hitter Minjae Hong and Dylan Flint walked before Street's single scored pinch runner Dionte Brown for the go-ahead run.

Then in the ninth, Velasquez ripped a three-run homer to right field. The senior's first homer of the year came with two outs and increased NSU's lead to 8-4.

The Eagles got a run back in the ninth with two outs. After an NSU error prolonged the inning, Chet Sikes singled in a run for NCCU, but Alex Ortiz was thrown out at second to end the inning at the end of the play.

Kris Artis picked up his first career save for the Spartans. Velasquez was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, Simms knocked in two runs and Womack scored twice.

The nightcap was all Eagles. Ryan Miller pitched all seven innings for the Eagles, allowing four hits and striking out 10 in the shorter game of the double-dip.

NCCU hit three home runs to account for all the offense Miller would need. Norgren hit a three-run homer in the first, Cort Maynard blasted a solo homer in the third, and Justin Bowers added a two-run shot in the fourth.

Womack had two of NSU's four hits to finish 3-for-7 on the day. Brown and Ty Hanchey had the other Spartan hits in the second game.

Noah Wiggins (0-2) took the loss for the Spartans. He gave up six runs on four hits in 3.2 innings worked. Dalton Barham fanned three and allowed just one hit and one run in 2.1 innings of relief work.

The weekend series shifts to Norfolk on Sunday, as the teams play game three of the set starting at 2 p.m. at Marty L. Miller Field.