Maine Takes 2 More from Spartans, 4-2 and 6-2
Three Maine pitchers combined to limit host Norfolk State to 13 hits and four runs to sweep a doubleheader from the Spartans by scores of 4-2 and 6-2 on Saturday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
Mike Connolly earned a win in game 1 and the save in game 2 for the Black Bears (9-14), pitching a combined eight scoreless innings to lead the pitching effort.
Game 1 went 11 innings, but Maine broke a 2-2 deadlock by scoring twice in the 11th inning thanks to a balk from NSU reliever Chris Horne and a sacrifice fly by Fran Whitten.
Maine took a short-lived 1-0 lead after the top of the first. Lead-off man Michael Fransoso started off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and stole third. He scored from there on Ian Leisenheimer's sacrifice fly.
But NSU answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the first. James Taylor led off with a single and scored from first on a double by Rafael Colon. Cameron Day made it three consecutive hits when he smacked an RBI single to center field, scoring Colon with the go-ahead run.
Fransoso was at it again in the top of the third, leading off with an infield single. He scored on a two-out single off the bat of Tyler Patzalek to knot the score at 2-all.
Both starting pitchers, Maine's Shaun Coughlin and NSU's Ryan VanAssche, settled down after that. Coughlin went 5.2 innings and allowed just the two runs. VanAssche held the Black Bears off the scoreboard after the third, tossing four consecutive scoreless frames.
Connolly (2-3) worked around a lead-off single by Shane Hoggard in the bottom of the 11th to finish of the win for the Black Bears. Connolly pitched the final 5.1 innings to earn the win. He gave up just two hits, walked one and struck out four.
Horne (2-3) took the loss for NSU, allowing three hits and two runs in four innings pitched. VanAssche was solid in a no-decision, giving up two runs and seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings.
Taylor and Chase Kyriacou had two hits each in the first game. Fransoso, Whitten, Patzalek and Colin Gay did likewise for Maine.
Maine struck first in game 2 as Fransoso and Scott Heath led off the game with singles off Jeff Di Fulgo. A fielding error by Di Fulgo loaded the bases. Di Fulgo got Patzalek to ground into a double play to stall the rally, but Fransoso scored the game's first run on the play.
Leisenheimer extended the Maine advantage to 3-0 with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the fifth.
The Spartans finally broke through against Black Bears' starter Jeff Gibbs in the fifth. Chris Warren led off with a double and eventually scored on a Gibbs wild pitch. Hoggard later hit an RBI single to draw NSU within 3-2, although Connolly - making his second relief appearance of the day - got out of a bases-loaded threat by getting Kyriacou to bounce into a fielder's choice.
But the Black Bears quickly got the two runs back on a two-run single by Troy Black in the top of the sixth, and made it 6-2 on Leisenheimer's sacrifice fly later in the frame.
Di Fulgo (0-4) took the loss after yielding nine hits and five runs (four earned) in five-plus innings.
Gibbs (1-4) was the winner in the nightcap, after striking out nine hitters and giving up just two hits and a pair of runs in 4.1 innings of work. Connolly worked the final 2.2 innings for his second save of the season.
Heath, Gay and Black had two hits apiece in the nightcap for the Black Bears. Gay finished the day 4-for-6 and Leisenheimer had four RBI in the doubleheader.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Hornets Roughed Up By Hofstra, 11-3
Stuart Taylor drove in four runs, while Kenny Jackson and Danny Poma knocked in two each to lead Hofstra to an 11-3 win over Delaware State at Soldier Field this afternoon.
The Pride evened the three-game series at one game apiece to improve to 12-12 this season. The Hornets fell to 15-11-1.
Starter John Tiedemann (3-3) allowed five hits and three runs in seven innings to earn the win for Hofstra.
Tiedemann and Delaware State starter Matt McClain battled to a scoreless tie for first five innings before Hofstra broke through with three runs in the sixth.
Catcher Matt Reistetter (3-for-5) drove in the first run on an infield single, while Taylor Stuart and Matt Ford also had run scoring hits off McClain in the inning.
The Pride scored seven runs in the seventh inning to open up a 10-0 lead. Kenny Jackson led off the inning with his first home run of the season to give Hofstra a 4-0 lead. Jackson, who was 4-for-5 in the contest, also singled in a seventh inning run.
Stuart and Poma each had two-run singles, while Kevin Flynn also singled in a run in the Hofstra seventh. Flynn and Stuart had two hits each for the Pride.
Delaware State answered with three runs in the bottom of the seventh. JP Frey singled to lead off the inning. Pinch hitter Elliott Gardner singled in the Hornets' first run. Two batters later, Scott Davis delivered a two-run single to cut the Pride's lead to 10-3.
Davis (2-for-5) had two of the Hornets' seven hits. McClain (3-3) was tagged with the loss for DSU.
For the complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com
North Carolina Central Sweeps Florida A&M
TALLAHASSEE,FL (Mar.31) -Florida A&M (7-22, 3-5 MEAC) dropped two games to the North Carolina Central University Eagles (5-25, 5-6 MEAC), in MEAC action today at Moore-Kittles Field.
In the first game, the Eagles belted out 18 hits, which led to 18 runs for NCCU. The team effort came on the heels of 16 RBIs. Sam Fulmer got the win for the Eagles, going a complete nine innings on the mound. He gave up seven hits, one walk and struck out six.
The Rattlers were paced by Reginald Grant who got two hits in five at-bats. John Scott, Scott Sheplak, Cory Franklin and Ryan Sheplak each got one hit for the Rattlers. The Rattlers left 11 players on basein the game.
John Roberts took the loss on the mound for the Rattlers. He pitched four complete innings, allowing nine hits, five earned runs and struck out one. Christopher Priestly pitched three and two-thirds innings for FAMU, allowing four hits, seven runs, three walks and struck out two. Miles Williams pitched two-thirds of an inning, allowing four runs on three hits. Javon Williams finished the game, pitching two-thirds of an inning, allowing two runs on two hits and one strike out.
The Rattlers allowed three runs in the third inning, two runs in the fourth and five runs in the fifth. The door was officially closed in the ninth inning as they exploded for six runs. NCCU designated hitter Anthony Wilson hit a solo homer for the Eagles in the eighth inning.
Game two would be a pitcher's duel, as FAMU and NCCU would remain tied 2-2 at the end of the regulated seven innings. In the top of the eighth inning, the Rattlers would get two quick outs, leaving runners on second and third. A flyball hit to right field was mishandled by Reid, leading to two runs scored. From there the Eagles would rally for six runs in the top of the eighth inning, to put away the Rattlers who would only muster one run in response.
David Duncan pitched the full seven regulation innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits, allowed one was and struck out one batter for the Rattlers. Tony Covington came on in relief of Duncan, primarily because of Duncan's pitch count, not in lieu of his effectiveness. Covington was bombarded by the Eagles to the tune of four hits, resulting in six runs, with one walk. Stephen Dollar closed out the game for the Rattlers, pitching one-third of an inning. He allowed no runs and no hits. Covington took the loss for the Rattlers.
Glenn Frye tossed six and one-thirds innings againts the Rattlers. He was the Eagles' half of the solid pitching duel that went on for seven innings. Frye gave up six hits, two earned runs, had two walks and seven strikeouts. Gavin Guarrera got the win for the Eagles, pitching one and two-thirds innings, allowing two hits and one run.
For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.famuathletics.com
Witte One-Hitter, 24-Run Day Highlights Umes Twinbill Win Over Coppin State
GLEN BURNIE, Md. - With lockdown starting pitching from Tyler Witte and Jacob Foreman, plus 24 runs scored including eight multi-hit performances, UMES powered its way past Coppin State on Saturday for two wins at Joe Cannon Stadium. Winning game one 18-1 and game two 6-4, UMES went to 3-5 in the MEAC and 4-22 overall, while the Eagles fell to 0-4 in-conference and 0-24 on the season.
With the wins, UMES, which has won its last three conference games, moves into sole possession of third place in the MEAC Northern Division.
In game one, UMES got going early against Eagles starter Ben Jarboe (0-8). James Newsome hit a one-out infield single to short to score Stephen Bull Three batters later with the bases loaded and two out, Jeffrey Fleetwood singled, clearing the bases after an error by the right fielder and Fleetwood himself advancing the third. Next pitch, Joshua James singled up the middle to score Fleetwood and cap a five-run first inning.
Next inning, the Hawks batted around again. Bull led off with a single. Byron Campbell followed with a triple to push Bull across the plate. Two batters later, Brandon Schott brought home Newsome from second with a single. As Tre-von Johnson singled, an error by the center fielder allowed Schott to score, putting UMES up 8-0.
Four more runs were scored by the Hawks in the top of the fifth. UMES loaded the bases in the first three hitters, when Campbell singled to bring home James and Shaquille Bagwell. After Newsome got hit by a pitch, Schott and Johnson hit consecutive sacrifice flies, giving the Hawks a 12-0 advantage.
The Maroon and Grey bats did not cool down as they continued their strongest offensive output of the season in the sixth. With offensive contributions including hits and/or runs from reserves Brady Bassford, Tim Gray, Aaron Burton, James Smith and Jordan McDougal, UMES combined for six runs in the inning, including five hits and two sacrifice flies, for an 18-0 advantage.
On the other end, Witte (1-5) held things on the mound, pitching a no-hitter through the first five innings. With one out and two on, Zach Spahn singled through the hole on the left side to score Jesse Savage to break up the no-hitter and shutout. But that is the only time Coppin State scored in the first game as Witte went all seven innings with just one hit allowed as UMES won via mercy rule 18-1.
For game two, Foreman (2-4) took the hill for UMES as the contest began as a pitcher's duel. The Eagles got a run in the bottom of the first off a Spahn RBI single for an early 1-0 lead.
In the third, patience paid off for the Hawks against Eagles starter Madison Neddo. After Campbell hit a one-out double, Newsome was hit by pitch and Schott walked. Johnson drew a walk to push Campbell home and tie the game at one.
Newsome went deep in the top of the fifth, clearing the left field fence to lead off for his second home run of the year, giving UMES its first lead in the game at 2-1.
In the top of the seventh inning, Newsome and Schott got to the corners with one out against reliever Michael Roberts (0-2). Johnson reached on an error by the second baseman, scoring Newsome to give UMES back the lead. After Malik Wylie reached on an error to load the bases, Fleetwood singled for a pair of RBI, followed by Bagwell bringing in a run on a ground out. The Hawks led 6-2 after six-and-a-half innings.
The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the seventh, scoring two runs off Karim Gonzalez . But Gonzalez struck out the final batter to give UMES the 6-4 victory.
In the doubleheader, Schott combined to go 7-for-10 with four runs scored and three RBI. Fleetwood drove in six runs and scored two more in a 3-for-9 day. Newsome reached base six times, going 3-for-5 with a home run and getting hit by pitches three times. Bull, Campbell, Johnson and James all had a multi-hit game in the first contest.
For the Eagles, Spahn finished with four hits in six at bats with two RBI. Savage went 1-for-4 in the second game with a walk, run and RBI.
For the complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.umeshawks.com