NORFOLK, Va. | The Norfolk State University baseball team gave up a five-run third inning and could not recover as the Spartans fell, 16-3 to Sacred Heart in a Northeast Conference (NEC) game on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
Sacred Heart jumped out to a 10-0 midway through the seventh inning, but Norfolk State struck for a pair of runs. However, the Pioneers closed the door on any rally with a six-run ninth inning.
Donovan Whitfield (0-2) took the loss as he surrendered six runs (four earned) on three hits, with three strikeouts and two walks in 2.1 innings pitched. Matt Stanley, Kevin Chinnia, Noah Wiggins and Liam Royster worked in relief.
Michael Boyian started for the Pioneers, working four innings and scattering just one hit. He fanned five and walked four. David Aufiero (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of relief, giving up four hits, striking out three and walking one. Mitch Hawkins worked three innings
Sacred Heart (5-7 overall, 1-1 NEC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning Joey Skarad, who reached on a one-out walk, scored on passed ball.
Norfolk State (3-10, 1-1) loaded the bases in the bottom of the frame, but with two outs, Steven Shaffer flied out to right to end the scoring threat.
The Pioneers plated five runs on four hits, while taking advantage of an error, in the third inning, extending the lead to 6-0.
SHU added three more runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth to push the lead to 10-0.
Norfolk State got a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Brandon Cleveland led off the frame with a single to right and moved to second on a base hit by Dionte Brown. Raphael Rodriguez followed with an RBI single up the middle and with one down, Shaffer flied out to right for the sacrifice fly as the Spartans cut the deficit to 10-2.
Sacred Heart plated six runs in the ninth on just one hit and took advantage of two Spartan errors to extend the lead to 16-2.
NSU got a run in the bottom of the inning when Rodriguez, who opened the frame by reaching on an error, scored on a Nathan Ade base hit to right center.
The Spartans finished with 12 hits but committed five errors.
Justin Journette went 2-for-3, while Shaffer and Ade each went 2-for-4 to pace the Norfolk State offense.
The Pioneers finished with eight hits, including a 2-for-4 performance by Mark Smith.
UP NEXT
Norfolk State wraps up the three-game series with Sacred Heart on Sunday. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. from Marty L. Miller Baseball Field.
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