The Delaware State baseball team welcomes Norfolk State to Soldier Field in a battle for the MEAC North lead this weekend. The Hornets and Spartans are scheduled to play two seven-inning games on Friday (Apr. 23) and two on Saturday (Apr. 24), starting at noon each day.
Norfolk State currently holds a 1.5 game lead over the Hornets in the MEAC North with an 11-5 division record (15-20 overall). DSU is 9-6 in division play and 11-14 overall.
This will be the second of three four-game sets between the teams this season. The Hornets and Spartans split the first series in Norfolk, Va., Apr. 1-3. DSU won the series opener and finale 5-2 and 2-1), each a nine-inning game, while Norfolk State took the Saturday seven-inning doubleheader (5-3 and 7-2).
Delaware State leads the MEAC with a .286 team batting entering the weekend. Norfolk State ranks fifth in the league at .252.
Hornet batters have the fewest strikeouts in the MEAC (177; 7.08 per game), while Norfolk State has a league-high 86 stolen bases in 113 attempts this season.
Delaware State shortstop John Weglarz (jr.) is third in the MEAC with a .405 batting average, while outfielder Trey Paige (so.) is batting .370 to rank fourth in the league. Paige is also tied for first in the MEAC with six home runs and fifth in the conference with 23 runs batted in.
Norfolk State’s Tony Womack is batting a team-high .336, while leading the MEAC in hits (41) and runs scored (34). He’s also second in the league with 13 stolen bases (13-15).
Pitching wise, NSU is second among MEAC staffs with a 6.36 earned run average. The Hornets are sixth at 8.04.
The Hornets and Spartans are also scheduled to meet in the final regular season series May 13-15 at Norfolk State.