NORFOLK, Va. --- The Norfolk State baseball team posted its fourth shutout of the season, defeating Virginia State 16-0 at Marty L. Miller Field on Tuesday evening.
 
Norfolk State improved to 15-22, while Virginia State fell to 11-19. James Godfrey (1-0) earned the win in relief, pitching two innings and striking out two.
 
Justin Journette led the Spartans, going 3-for-3 with six RBIs, four runs scored and two home runs. Emmett Jefferson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a triple and a home run. Sean Stewart and Thomas Ealey each recorded two hits, while Jaydan Israel, Ryan Hoeft and Hunter Gillespie each added one.
 
Josiah Harrison started on the mound for the Spartans, pitching two innings and striking out three. Godfrey, Ryan Sellers, Tyler Mitchell and CJ Patterson each pitched in relief.
 
Norfolk State jumped out early, scoring five runs in the first inning. Journette drove in the first run with an RBI single to right field, and Brenden Burke followed with a sacrifice fly to center to score Hoeft. Jefferson capped the inning with a three-run home run to center field.
 
The Spartans added four runs in the second inning. Hoeft singled to right field to score Israel, and Journette hit his 12th home run of the season, a three-run shot that extended the lead to 9-0.
 
Journette struck again in the fourth inning, launching his second home run of the game to right-center field to score Ealey and push the lead to 11-0.
 
Norfolk State scored three more runs in the fifth inning. Gillespie hit a sacrifice fly to score Jefferson, Stewart scored on a wild pitch, and Ealey added an RBI double to bring home Israel and make it 14-0.
 
The Spartans plated two more runs in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Gillespie to extend the lead to 16-0. Norfolk State allowed its only hit in the seventh inning and closed out the victory.
 
ON DECK
Norfolk State returns to action Friday, April 24, hosting Le Moyne at Marty L. Miller Field. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
 
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