Hornets outslug UMES, 12-10, to avoid series sweep
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. — Delaware State pounded out 14 hits, including three by Austin Bentley and Chris Gonzalez, while taking advantage of six UMES errors in a 12-10 MEAC victory over the Hawks in the series finale.
The Hornets avoided being swept by the Hawks for the second time this season to improve to 9-24 overall and 8-10 in the MEAC. UMES fell to 13-24 and 11-7.
Bentley was three-for-five with three runs batted in, while Gonzalez was three- for-five with a RBI. Catcher Sam Barber had a hit and two RBI for the Hornets.
The Hawks scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth, and had the potential tying run at the plate when Hornet reliever Hunter McVey got the final out of the game on a pop to first to earn his first career save.
Zach Cooney (1-1) pitched 3.1 innings of relief to pick up his first career win for the Hornets. Smith (3-4) suffered the loss for the Hawks.
Charles Dailey, David Kimbrough and Cameron Onderko had two hits each for Delaware State. Jordan martin had three of the Hawks’ 13 hits.
The Hornets return to action on Tuesday (Apr. 21) at La Salle. Game time is 3 p.m. in Philadelphia.
Spartans Win 12th in a Row, Sweep Coppin State
HANOVER, Md. – Freshman shortstop Alex Mauricio recorded his first career three-hit game, and the Norfolk State bullpen held Coppin State without a hit over the final five innings to help the Spartans run their win streak to 12 with an 8-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Joe Cannon Stadium.
The Spartans (18-10 overall, 15-3 MEAC North) now own a four-game lead over second-place Maryland Eastern Shore in the division following UMES’ loss to Delaware State on Sunday. The Spartans have swept their last four MEAC series.
Mauricio went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and also notched two of NSU’s season-high seven stolen bases. He was one of four Spartans who had multi-hit games, joining outfielders Denathan Dukes and Angel Rosario and third baseman Robbie Hiser, who all had two hits.
Dukes went 2-for-5 with two steals. Hiser went 2-for-6 and swiped one bag, while Mikey Bruno also stole two bases. Rosario batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
NSU’s offense scored 37 runs on 39 hits and stole 15 bases in the three-game sweep. The Spartan pitching staff allowed just 14 hits and five runs in the three games, and has yielded just 18 earned runs in the 12-game winning streak.
The Spartans step out of conference play when they travel to the state capital to face Richmond on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Eagles fall late to Savannah State
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University walked off in the bottom of the 10th in Saturday’s opener of a three-game series with Savannah State, and the Tigers extracted their revenge by winning 3-2 in 10 innings on Sunday, April 19 at the Durham Athletic Park.
The loss dropped the Eagles a half-game out of first place behind Bethune-Cookman in the MEAC Southern Division, setting the stage for a close finish during NCCU’s final conference series in Boston against Florida A&M on April 24-25.
SSU starter Zach McCormack was able to stay in the game, and actually went nine complete innings for the Tigers, allowing five hits and two runs (both earned) while walking two and fanning six at the plate.
Andrew Vernon did his best to keep the Eagles in the contest, pitching three and one-third of an inning, carrying NCCU into the 10th inning while cutting down three batters during his stint. He ran into trouble in the top of the 10th where he hit the first batter and allowed a one-out single to put runners on the corners.
Jonathan Moore came to the plate with two outs and hit a weak groundball up the middle, but it bounced off Vernon’s foot for an infield single that allowed the go-ahead run to come home, moving SSU back into the lead 3-2.
The Eagles picked up a two-out single in the bottom of the 10th, but that was it as Rex Davis entered from the Tiger bullpen to pick up his second save of the year.
NCCU will again travel during the midweek as they explore the western part of the state against UNC Asheville on Tuesday, April 21 and also make up a postponed game against High Point on Wednesday, April 22.
The Eagles return to conference play during the weekend as they travel to Boston to face FAMU at Jim Rice Field on Friday, April 24 and finish the series at Fenway Park on Saturday, April 25
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