Visiting Delaware State scored three times in the top of the 11th inning to break a tie and come away with a 5-2 win over Norfolk State in the first game of the teams’ series at Marty L. Miller Field on Thursday.
All three runs for the Hornets (5-10, 3-2 MEAC) came with two outs. NSU (7-16, 3-2 MEAC) threatened in the bottom of the 11th, loading the bases with two away, but the Hornets held on.
DSU outfielder Brady Daniels led off the 11th with a double, and Mark Herron was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with no outs. Following a sacrifice bunt and intentional walk, Spartan reliever Seth Hockett struck out Miguel Rivera. But a walk to John Weglarz forced in the go-ahead run, Trey Paige knocked in another with a single off Hockett’s foot, and Krew Bouldin was hit by a pitch to force in another run and give the Hornets a 5-2 edge.
NSU got the first two hitters on base in the bottom of the 11th. Alsander Womack singled for his third hit of the day and Trey Hanchey reached on a fielder’s choice error by the Hornets. Hornet reliever Chandler Fitzgerald retired the next two hitters on popouts before hitting Minjae Hong with a pitch to load the bases.
Spartan first baseman Korey Singh followed with a long fly ball to right field, but the stiff breeze knocked it down before it was caught by Hornet outfielder Trey Kimmel.
The game began as a pitchers’ duel as NSU righty Justin Walton and DSU righty Cole Bates matched zeroes through the first four innings. Weglarz hit a two-out RBI double for the game’s first run in the top of the fifth. Spartan third baseman Cody Donnell tie the game with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the frame.
NSU went ahead on Ty Hanchey’s RBI infield single in the bottom of the sixth. Brady Daniels’ run-scoring groundout knotted the score at 2-all in top of the eighth.
Womack was 3-for-5 to pace the Spartans. Walton allowed two runs over eight innings and struck out five in earning a no-decision. Hockett (0-1) also struck out five in his three innings of relief.
Garey finished 4-for-4 for the Hornets, who out-hit NSU 13-7. Weglarz and Daniels both went 3-for-4.