NORFOLK, Va. – Cricket Wireless and Spartan Baseball will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Foodbank of Southeast Virginia and the Eastern Shore at the Norfolk State home series this weekend against Florida A&M.

The pandemic has heightened the need to provide food to the people in the community who need it most. The Foodbank works with dozens of Partner Agencies across the region to serve those in need. The food items will be collected at the entrance to the stadium. Cricket Wireless, one of the key partners with the Norfolk State Spartans and the MEAC, is co-sponsoring the effort. Fans that donate items will have a chance to win a Cricket Wireless gift bag. There will be multiple winners each game.

The Spartan baseball team (14-6 in MEAC play) enters the series in first place in the MEAC's Northern Division. The match-up with Florida A&M is a rematch of the 2019 MEAC championship game. The Rattlers (9-7) currently lead the Southern Division. The top two teams from each division advance to the MEAC Championship on May 20-22 at Marty L. Miller Field at Norfolk State.
 
The Rattlers and Spartans met in Tallahassee in April, splitting the four-game series. This week's series will start with a 4 p.m. game on Friday, April 30, which will be carried live by ESPNU. The two teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed by a single game at noon Sunday.
 
Fans who are unable to attend the series can still support the Foodbank by dropping off items outside the athletics office in Echols Hall on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday of this week.