HANOVER, Md. – James Deloatch tossed his first career complete game to lead Norfolk State to a 4-1 win in the nightcap of Friday's MEAC doubleheader with Coppin State at Joe Cannon Stadium, earning the Spartans (5-14, 1-1 MEAC North) a split of their first conference games of the season.

Coppin State (5-11, 3-3) rallied from a 12-5 deficit by scoring eight runs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning to come away with an improbable win in the series opener.

Deloatch (2-1), a junior left hander, scattered five hits and struck out a career-high nine hitters in game two. The only run he allowed was a seventh-inning solo homer by Mike Dorcean, but Deloatch cruised otherwise.

NSU scored its first run in the second inning when Jacob Council reached first on a wild pitch after a dropped third strike, then later scored on a CSU error. The Spartans, leading 1-0, didn't get their first hit until the fifth, but they pieced together three in a three-run rally that gave Deloatch some breathing room. Adam Collins walked and Phillip Boykin singled for NSU's first hit of the game to start the inning. Dionte Brown singled them both in one out later.

Brown later stole second and scored on an RBI single by Minjae Hong.

Five different Spartans accounted for NSU's five hits in game two.

William Jackson gave up four runs, three earned, in 4.1 innings to take the loss for CSU.

Offense was not a problem for either team in the opener. Three hit batters set the stage for the Eagles to score three runs in the bottom of the first, but NSU chipped away. Mason Velasquez and Korey Singh both hit solo homers in the top of the second to get NSU on the board.

Danny Hosley tripled and scored on an Alsander Womack groundout in the third to tie the game at 3-all.

CSU went back in front 5-3 in the bottom of the third on sacrifice flies by Sebastien Sarabia and Toran Smith, but the Spartans' offense exploded from there. Pinch hitter Raphy Rodriguez and Hosley hit RBI singles in the fourth. Dylan Flint then scored on an error by the Eagles to put NSU in front 6-5.

The Spartans kept it going in the fifth when they scored six times to open up a huge advantage. Council doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Hosley. Brown and Womack delivered consecutive RBI singles before catcher Ty Hanchey tacked on the biggest blow of the frame, a three-run homer that gave NSU a 12-5 lead.

The Spartans kept CSU off the board in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but the Eagles snatched the win away from NSU with a wild seventh inning. Three straight hits started the inning, the last of which was a two-run double by Conner Walker. Smith then singled in Walker to bring CSU within four runs.

The Eagles were down to their last out before NSU hit four CSU batters in a span of six at-bats which resulted in two more runs scoring. Wellington Balsley reached on an infield hit, and a Spartan error at the end of the play allowed two more runs to score. Sarabia then coaxed a walk on a full-count pitch to force in the winning run and complete the comeback.

CSU had five hits and benefitted from the four hit batters and two walks in the frame.

The loss spoiled the Spartans' best day at the plate this year. NSU finished with season highs in runs (12), hits (16), extra-base hits (six) and homers (three). Five Spartans had at least two hits, with Hosley (3-for-4, 2 RBIs, 2 runs), Womack (3-for-5, 2 RBIs) and Council (3-for-5, 2 runs) leading the way. Velasquez and Hanchey also had two hits apiece in the opener.

Womack and Rodriguez each had two of NSU's six stolen bases in game one.

The teams play another doubleheader Saturday starting at 1 p.m.

-NSU-