ORANGEBURG, S.C. – The Norfolk State softball team used 22 hits over two games to earn a pair of wins over South Carolina State on Saturday afternoon in a MEAC doubleheader in Orangeburg, S.C. The Spartans scored seven unanswered runs in game one en route to a 7-2 win. In game two, NSU scored 11 runs in the top of first inning and never looked back in a 13-4 win at the Bulldog Softball Field.
The Spartans are now on a seven-game winning streak. It marks the longest such streak since NSU won 10 straight during the 2013 season.
SCSU had four hits and scored a pair of runs by Makenzie McDaniel and Cassie Church to take a quick and early 2-0 lead over the Spartans in game one. Loren Hudson singled down the left field line in the top of the second while Hannah Jessie came on to pinch run at first. After a single by Rylie Gilbreath advanced Jessie to second, Alison Guckin cut the lead in half with a single to left that scored Jessie.
Lily Potter walked, and Kenna Higa singled to put runners on with one out in the top of the third for the Spartans. Gabby Vaughan then took a pitch to deep center field hitting a double and scoring both Potter and Higa to give NSU the 3-2 after three complete.
Guckin led off the fourth with a bunt single before stealing both second and third bases on subsequent pitches. With two outs, Potter singled up the middle scoring Guckin and putting the Spartans on top by two.
The seventh inning saw Guckin once again lead off for NSU with a single before stealing second. An error at second base allowed Yrral Davis to reach and putting Guckin at third. Imani Moore then singled to left loading the bases. Higa followed up with a double to center field that would score all three baserunners and extended the lead to five. A scoreless seventh saw the Spartans hold on for a 7-2 win in game one.
Game two saw the Spartans score the most runs they have in a single inning this season to start off. Potter reached on fielding error by the center fielder. Moore batted second and crushed a triple to center that score Potter and give the Spartans a 1-0 lead. Higa would walk before stealing second and Vaughan hit the third ball of the inning towards center for a double that scored both Moore and Higa and extending the lead to 3-0.
With one out Cam Andersen walked before Davis singled to left scoring Brianna Rucker, who was pinch running for Vaughan, and pushing Gilbreath, who was pinch running for Andersen, to second. Hudson followed up with a single to left scoring Gilbreath. After a walk by Johnson, Potter singled to center to keep the bases loaded and put the Spartan lead at 6-0. Higa would come up and double to center scoring Johnson from third and Potter from second.
A second error of the inning by the Bulldogs allowed the inning to continue as the Spartans took a 9-0 lead off the misplay at third. A double steal by the Spartans saw Higa steal home and Elizabeth Ritchie, who was pinch running for Vaughan, reach second. The final run of the inning saw a third error of the frame and Ritchie scoring. In total, the Spartans scored 11 runs on six hits and left two on base in the top of the first alone.
It was not until the bottom of the third that SCSU scored its first run when Jasmine Hogan singled to start off the inning and scored on a Church hit to cut the lead to 11-1. Neither team scored again until the Bulldogs put three runs on the board in the bottom of the fifth to extend the game. A single and a walk put a runner in scoring position with no outs before both runners stole a base. A second walk of the inning loaded the bases. Julie Manners followed reaching first on a fielder's choice, but the Bulldogs scored a run on the play.
A single down the right field line by Alexis Day scored two more runs and cut the lead to seven after five complete. After Victoria Ruiz singled and the Spartans playing with two outs, Potter tripled to center field scoring Ruiz and putting the lead back at eight. A bunt single by Jessie put runners on the corners. When Jessie attempted to reach second on a steal, Potter broke for home, both reaching safely and run scoring and putting NSU up by nine at 13-4. A strike out looking, a flyout to right and a popup to second ended the game and completing the doubleheader sweep for the Spartans.
Joanna Vallejo (5-3) had her second complete game of the season in game one. She finished the day with 10 strikeouts. Alexis Robinson pitched the first four innings in game two with four strikeouts before Andersen came in and closed the game out with two innings and two strikeouts.
Both Potter and Vaughan had four hits on the day between the two games. Vaughan (2), Higa (2), and Moore (1) all collected a double. Both Moore and Potter each hit a triple against the Bulldogs.
The Spartans (23-15, 7-3) wrap up the weekend with a single game against SCSU on Sunday. First pitch against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 12 p.m.
