Norfolk State scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to grab a 5-2 victory over Florida A&M in the elimination round of the 2008 MEAC Baseball Tournament at Marty L. Miller Field Saturday morning.

FAMU outhit Norfolk State, 8-6, led by Jared Jeffries and Darryl Evans with two hits apiece. Evans suffered a left shoulder injury on a diving catch attempt in the eighth inning.

Moriba George led the Spartans with three hits, while Chris Joyce drove in two runs with a single.

The Rattlers left nine men stranded, missing several opportunities in the early innings to take control of the game, leaving the bases loaded in the third and leaving two on in the first and, fourth and seventh innings.

Norfolk State (24-23) advanced to the finals of the loser’s or elimination bracket of the tournament Saturday at 6 p.m. against the loser of the winner’s bracket final between Bethune-Cookman/North Carolina A&T game at 2 p.m.

Sunday’s title game will start at 2 p.m. featuring the winners of Saturday’s final two games.

The Spartans scored a run in the bottom of the first inning for a 1-0 lead before the Rattlers tied it with a run in the second.

NSU made it 2-1 in the fifth, before FAMU scored a run in the sixth tying the score at 2-2, before the Spartans scored three in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead for good.

Norfolk’s Quinn Bright (6-6) got the win, tossing a complete game, working nine innings, scattering eight hits, fanning five and walking two.

FAMU’s Anthony Espin (3-6) took the loss on the mound, working five innings, scattering four hits with six strikeouts, but getting touched for five runs. Julian Bailey came on in relief in the sixth to work the final three innings.

Florida A&M (20-22), extended their MEAC title drought to 14 years since last capturing the league pennant in 1994.

Saturday’s setback also denied the Rattlers a shot at the tournament finals for the fifth straight year, dating back to their last title appearance in 2003.