NORFOLK, Va. – This weekend, the Norfolk State baseball team will play a weekend conference series for the first time since 2019 when the Spartans travel north to Coppin State for a four-game set.

In the new four-game conference format for 2021, the teams will play one additional game per weekend against conference foes than in the past, spread out Friday through Sunday. Due to the threat of inclement weather in Maryland this weekend, however, NSU and CSU will condense their series into two days. The squads will play a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Friday and another at 1 p.m. Saturday at Joe Cannon Stadium.

The Spartans (4-13 overall) are coming off a 4-2 win over Morehead State in the teams' series finale last Sunday at Marty L. Miller Field. NSU scored four times in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead, highlighted by a two-run single by Minjae Hong.

Danny Hosley has earned each of the Spartans' last two wins, against Morehead and the prior week against Longwood, with consecutive complete game performances. Hosley is one of 11 players tied for first in the nation with two complete games this year.

The Spartans rank fourth nationally in stolen bases, with 44, and eighth in steals per game, at 2.6. Junior Dionte Brown leads NSU with nine steals, which is 17th in the country and first among MEAC players. Brown's .370 average also leads the team.

Coppin State enters the weekend 4-10 overall, 2-2 in the MEAC North after splitting four games with Delaware State last weekend. Redshirt freshman Mike Dorcean was named MEAC Player of the Week after his performance at DSU, which upped his season average to .409. Freshman Darren Ragan, who was named MEAC Rookie of the Week, is hitting .385 with 17 RBIs.

Redshirt senior Aaron Rhea leads the Eagle pitching staff with two wins and a 3.32 ERA.

The games this weekend at Joe Cannon Stadium will be limited to 250 fans due to local COVID-19 guidelines.

Live stats for all four games are available through the CSU web site.