The Delaware State baseball team clinched a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) series win over Norfolk State with a 4-2 win in Saturday’s finale. The Hornets took three out of the four games this week.
With the game tied at one, bases loaded and no outs, Trey Paige put the lead back in the Hornets favor in the bottom of the fifth inning. Paige hit a single right back up the middle that scored Alec Rodriguez. Miguel Rivera and Tre’Zhan Selby also scored on the play after taking advantage of an errant throw from Norfolk State and put the game at 4-1 through five complete innings.
Paige got the Hornets on the board early to start the game with a solo shot to right field for his league leading eighth home run of the season. Delaware State led 1-0 after one.
Raphy Rodriguez cut the Hornet lead in half with a solo home run of his own in the bottom of the seventh, putting the game at 4-2 through seven frames.
A two-run deficit was as close to the lead as Norfolk State would get as CJ Loper shut the door on a possible comeback through his two innings of relief. Through his two frames of work, Loper did not allow a hit or a run to score and only allowed one base runner by way of a walk. Loper, who earned his fourth win of the season this afternoon, now sits atop the MEAC in this category.
Evan Harris recorded his fourth win of the year after pitching six innings in the starting role. Harris sat down eight Spartans, allowed six to walk and surrendered only one hit while only giving up one run.
Krew Bouldin and Mike Worthington joined Paige in the hit column in the win. As a team, Delaware State drew 11 walks led by Jordan King who was given a free pass three times during the game.