NORFOLK, Va. --- The Norfolk State baseball team dropped an 8-4 decision to VMI in midweek action on Tuesday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
 
Norfolk State fell to 12-21 overall, while VMI improved to 25-11. Donovan Whitfield (0-2) took the loss in relief for the Spartans. 
 
Josiah Harrison paced the Spartans at the plate, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored, two doubles, one RBI, and a home run. Emmett Jefferson followed, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Jaydan Israel, Thomas Ealey, and Sean Stewart each added a hit.
 
Myles Crocker got the start for the Spartans, throwing three strikeouts. Whitfield, Nyenati Snoh, Tyler Mitchell, Ryan Sellers, and James Godfrey each made relief appearances.
 
Norfolk State took an early lead with two runs in the second inning. Jefferson doubled down the right field line to score Harrison, and Kydese Queen followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home another run.
 
VMI answered in the third inning, using a triple and a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2. The Keydets added two more runs in the fourth inning on a single through the left side and a fielder's choice to take a 4-2 lead.
 
Harrison led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to right field, cutting the deficit to 4-3.
 
VMI extended its lead in the sixth inning, scoring a run after a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded made it 5-3. Norfolk State responded in the bottom half of the inning when Harrison doubled to left-center and later scored on a wild pitch, trimming the deficit to 5-4.
 
The Keydets added a leadoff home run in the seventh inning to push the lead to 6-4. VMI extended the margin to three runs with an RBI double in the eighth inning and added another run in the ninth to secure the 8-4 victory.
 
ON DECK
Norfolk State returns to action with a three-game series against New Haven beginning Friday, April 17, at 3 p.m. at Marty L. Miller Field.
 
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (X/Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.