Norfolk State used opportunistic hitting and a pair of strong starts by left handers James Deloatch and Dalton Barham to sweep a MEAC doubleheader from Delaware State by scores of 5-3 and 7-2 on Friday at Marty L. Miller Field.
Dionte Brown, Alsander Womack and Danny Hosley all had three hits on the day and Jacob Council drove in three runs for the Spartans (9-16, 5-2 MEAC North).
In game one, starting pitchers Deloatch of NSU and Krew Bouldin of DSU each tossed four scoreless innings to start the game before both teams broke through in the fifth. Miguel Rivera hit an RBI double and scored on a John Weglarz single to give DSU (5-12, 3-4) a 2-0 lead.
The Spartans wasted no time answering. Phillip Boykin and Hosley both walked to start the rally. With one out, Brown singled in Boykin and Womack did likewise with Hosley to tie the game. Ty Hanchey was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and one out later, Council lined a two-run single up the middle to break the tie.
Hosley’s well executed squeeze bunt brought in Cody Donnell with another Spartan run in the fifth.
DSU made things interesting in the sixth. Rivera doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a single by Weglarz, prompting NSU to bring in reliever Nolan Manzer. The Hornets still had runners on the corners with one out when Spartan catcher Adam Collins threw out pinch runner Myles Eaddy attempting to steal. Manzer then got Trey Paige to ground out to end it.
Deloatch (3-1) picked up the win. He pitched into the seventh, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out six in recording a victory for the second straight start. Manzer notched his first career save, pitching a scoreless inning of relief.
Brown had two of NSU’s five hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Hosley was 1-for-1, scored once and knocked in a run.
Bouldin took the loss for DSU, allowing three runs on three hits in 4.1 innings pitched.
In game two, the Spartans scored five times in the first two innings off DSU starter Corey Loper (1-2) and never looked back. DSU scored once in the top of the first, but NSU responded quickly. Brown singled to lead off the bottom of the first and Womack walked. Both scored on a groundout by Mason Velasquez, aided by a Hornet error on the tail end of the play. Council then singled in Hanchey to give the Spartans a 3-1 advantage.
The top of the order came through for NSU again in the second. Womack doubled in Hosley and scored on a single by Hanchey to stretch the lead to 5-1.
Brady Daniels’ RBI single in the third cut DSU’s deficit to 5-2. But Hanchey singled in Womack, who doubled earlier in the frame, in the fourth. Hosley tacked on an RBI single in the fifth to complete the scoring.
Spartan pitching, meanwhile, held the Hornets at bay after the third. Making his first career start, Barham (1-1) pitched a career-high five innings and scattered seven hits and two runs to earn his first college victory. Michael Portela pitched two perfect innings in relief, striking out three of the six batters he faced.
Womack, Hanchey and Hosley all went 2-for-3 in the nightcap. Womack doubled twice and scored three times and Hanchey drove in a pair of runs.
For the day, Hosley was 3-for-4, Womack 3-for-6 with four runs scored and two RBIs, and Brown batted 3-for-8.
Weglarz and Rivera had three hits apiece during the doubleheader for the Hornets.