NORFOLK, Va. | The Norfolk State University baseball team dropped a pair of games to Binghamton, 6-3 and 7-0, to open a three-game series against the Bearcats on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Baseball Field.
The Spartans (1-8) pounded out 10 hits in the first game but couldn't overcome a three-run ninth inning by Binghamton. The Bearcats (3-5) used a five-run third inning in the second game to complete the doubleheader sweep.
In the opener, Binghamton struck for a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to grab a 2-0 lead.
However, Norfolk State got a run back in the third as Brandon Cleveland led off with a bunt single and came in to score on a groundout by Dionte Brown.
The Spartans tied the game at 2 with a run in the third as Cleveland, who reached on a single down the left field line with two outs, scored on a base hit through the left side by Chance Pollard.
Binghamton plated a run in the seventh, but back came NSU, tying the game at 3 in the eighth.
With one down, Raphael Rodriguez singled to right and after a stolen base, scored when Manny Jackson reached on a fielding error.
The Bearcats won the game in the ninth, scoring three runs on two hits and took advantage of an error to earn the 6-3 victory.
Cleveland, Pollard and Brown each recorded a combined six of the 10 Spartan hits.
The Bearcats finished with 10 hits, led at the plate by Devan Bade and Isaiah Corry with two each.
Antonio Velasquez started on the mound and pitched just one inning in the no decision. Dalton Barham, Zac Caps and John Horton (0-1) worked in relief.
Horton was tagged with the loss as he surrendered three runs (two earned) on two hits, walked two and struck out one in two innings
Thomas Babalis worked six innings, giving up two runs on eight hits, with four strikeouts and one walk. Kyle Esklidsen (1-0) and Jack Collins saw action in relief
Esklidsen pitched two innings and gave up one unearned run on two hits and Collins fanned two batters in the ninth for the save.
In the second game, Binghamton grabbed a run in the second inning and exploded for five runs on four hits, while taking advantage of a costly error to push the lead to 6-0.
Binghamton added one more run in the sixth for the 7-0 victory.
Norfolk State finished with six hits and a pair of errors, while the Bearcats registered seven runs on 11 hits, with one error.
Max McCrary (1-1) took the loss as he surrendered five runs (two earned) on seven hits and walked a pair. Matt Stanley and Mac Yarbrough worked in relief.
Gabe Driscoll pitched 5.2 innings to pick up his first win of the season. He scattered six NSU hits. Tanner Sinicki and Alex Henderson pitched the final 1.1 innings in relief.
UP NEXT
The Spartans wrap up their three-game series with a single game on Sunday against Binghamton. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. from Marty L. Miller Baseball Field.
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