SALISBURY, Md. – Norfolk State split a doubleheader with Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday at Perdue Stadium, winning the first game 9-7 and dropping the second 11-3.
The Spartans now stand at 4-12 on the year, 1-2 in the MEAC. The Hawks are 3-12, 2-1.
In the opener,
Dionte Brown homered and drove in three and
Phillip Boykin also hit a two-run homer for NSU. Brown drove in three runs and both
Jacob Council and
Raphy Rodriguez went 2-for-4.
The second batter of the game, Brown hit his first homer of the year to give NSU a quick 1-0 lead. Brown squeezed in a run and
Steven Shaffer hit an RBI single in the third for a 3-0 Spartan lead.
NSU left hander
James Deloatch retired the first nine batters he faced but ran into trouble in the third. UMES pieced together a three-run inning thanks to three hits, including a two-run single by Ryan Howe, to tie the game.
But NSU all but put the game out of reach with a six-run fifth. Council, Rodriguez and Brown all singled in runs and Boykin capped the rally with a two-run blast.
The Hawks scored four runs in their final three innings, but Deloatch got a groundout to end the game and finish off NSU's first MEAC win of the year.
Deloatch went the distance, pitching all seven innings and allowing four earned runs. He struck out three.
In the nightcap, the Spartans outhit UMES 9-8 but couldn't overcome nine walks and some timely Hawk hitting. UMES scored a run on a bases-loaded free pass in the first, than tacked on five more runs in the third. Marcus Brown hit a two-run double and Nick Roets had a two-run homer as UMES pushed its lead to 6-0.
Trailing 9-0, the Spartans scored their first runs of the game as Brown doubled and scored on a Council RBI single, and Boykin knocked in another with a sacrifice fly.
Freshman
Malcolm Perry hit a pinch-hit RBI triple in the seventh, but the Spartans couldn't overcome their deficit.
Council, Rodriguez and
Tommy Woods all had two hits for NSU in game 2. Brown drove in four and Roets three for the Hawks.
The teams play their series finale starting at noon on Sunday.