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Raphy Rodriguez
Matt Patterson
6
Mount St. Mary's MOUNT 1-2
7
Winner Norfolk State NSUBB 2-1
Mount St. Mary's MOUNT
1-2
6
Final
7
Norfolk State NSUBB
2-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Mount St. Mary's MOUNT 0 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 6 1
Norfolk State NSUBB 0 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 7 14 6

W: Horton, John (1-0) L: SNYDER,J (0-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Alex Lehmbeck, Associate Sports Information Director

Rodriguez Closes Out Opening Series with Walk-Off Single

NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State baseball team closed out its first series of the 2024 season in dramatic fashion, defeating Mount St. Mary's 7-6 in 12 innings on Sunday afternoon.
 
Swaroop Pujari and Raphael Rodriguez provided the biggest at-bats for the Spartans – the former keeping NSU alive with a solo homer in the ninth inning, before the latter hit the walk-off single to clinch a win for the game and series.
 
Mount St. Mary's took control first with a pair of scores in the third inning, but the Spartans answered right back in the bottom half. Rodriguez launched his first home run of the season, a solo shot to right field. Jalan Jones scored Collin Curry with a deep triple, before Jamal Ritter gave the Spartans a 3-2 advantage with an RBI.
 
The Mountaineers regained the lead in the fifth inning and loaded the bases, but a nifty 1-2-3 double play helped quell the damage. Brendan Burke drove in two runs with a single down the right field line in the bottom half of the inning, putting the Spartans back in front.
 
Mount St. Mary's tied the game in the sixth frame, going ahead in the ninth inning with a double from Ty Stecko.  
 
On their heels, Norfolk State needed a spark to stay afloat. Pujari provided just that. The junior shortstop belted a solo home run over the right field fence, sending a jolt of energy through Marty L. Miller Field as the Spartans pushed the game into extra innings.
 
Neither squad could get back on the board from there for a decent period, as the game stretched on through a chilly Sunday afternoon. Finally, the Spartans showed life in the bottom of the 12th inning to reward their loyal fanbase.
 
With two outs on the board, the game looked to be headed towards inning 13. But Cameron Sturgeon delivered a double down the line to get in scoring position, and Rodriguez took care of the rest, wiggling a single through the gap to score the winning run.
 
UP NEXT
 
Norfolk State returns to action on Tuesday, hosting Virginia Military Institute at 3 p.m.
 
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.
 
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