Kyriacou, Ore Propel Spartans to 10-2 Win over Virginia State

NORFOLK, Va. - Chase Kyriacou went 3-for-4 and hit Norfolk State's first homer of the year, and Tyon Ore added three hits and three runs batted in to lift Norfolk State to a 10-2 win over Virginia State on Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.

The Spartans improve to 16-23 while VSU falls to 24-19.

VSU held an early 2-0 lead before the NSU bats heated up. The Spartans scored all their runs in their final five innings at bat.

The Trojans got on the board first in the top of the third inning. Vernon Vaughan and Cameron Cox drew walks from NSU starting pitcher Ian Shiner to begin the inning. Both players scored on a two-out single by Tyler Coleman.

NSU took advantage of some VSU miscues to plate three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Ross Cardwell reached on an error to start the frame, then Trojans' pitcher William Tapp walked Cameron Day and hit Chris Warren with a pitch to load the bases. Rafael Colon plated Cardwell with a sacrifice fly. Ore and Justin Lee then chipped in with back-to-back two-out RBI singles to give NSU the 3-2 lead.

Kyriacou doubled the advantage with his first career home run, a solo shot deep over the left-field wall off Tapp in the bottom of the seventh. NSU then added insurance with a six-run eighth inning. Ore and Mikey Bruno each hit a two-run double off Tapp to highlight the inning.

Jeff Di Fulgo (1-6) earned his first win of the season with four shutout innings of relief. He allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out one. Shiner got the no-decision in his first career start, but pitched well. He allowed four hits and two runs, walking two and fanning four. Horace Smith pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the victory.

Ore was 3-for-4, matching his career highs in hits and RBI. Kyriacou and Day scored two runs apiece, and Lee went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

Tapp (2-2) took the loss after allowing 12 hits and 10 runs, six earned, in 7.1 innings. Tapp and Coleman led the Trojans with two hits each.

For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com

Hornets Sweep Past Eagles, 8-2 & 17-5

Dover, Del. (Apr. 29, 2012) --- Delaware State has clinched at least a tie for the MEAC North title after 8-2 and 17-5 wins over Coppin State at Soldier Field today. The Hornets have won 11 straight games to improve to 29-14-1 overall and 17-1 in the MEAC.

DSU's modern-day record for consecutive wins is 12 during the 2002 season.

The Hornets have a six-game lead over second place Norfolk State in the division standings. Each team has six league games remaining. The Hornets swept their six games against Norfolk State this season.

In the opener, third baseman Cameron Cecil was 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, while Eddie Sorondo also drove in three runs for the Hornets.

In the nightcap, Tony Gatto had a career-best six RBI, while Aaron Nardone and JP Frey knocked in three runs each for DSU.

The Hornets led 3-2 in game one before exploding for five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. The highlight of the inning was Cecil's three-run blast over the fence in right field to give DSU a 6-2 lead. Sorondo doubled in a run and Frey added a run-scoring single in the inning for the Hornets.

Delaware State opened the game one scoring with two runs in the last of the third inning. Nardone singled home Troy Drummond with the first run and Sorondo singled in Nardone to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead.

After Coppin State tied the game with two runs in the fourth, the Hornets scored the go-ahead run in the fifth. Cecil led off the inning with a single. He advanced to second on a walk to Nardone, and reached third when the pair pulled off a double steal. Cecil crossed the plate on a ground out by Sorondo to put DSU ahead 3-2.

Zach Adkins pitched seven solid innings to pick up the win for the Hornets. He allowed five hits and two runs, while striking out six to improve to 6-1 on the season. Derek Marshalsea pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out two, in relief of Adkins.   

In game two, Delaware State opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first.

The Hornets scored four times in the third to take a 6-0 lead. Cecil walked to lead off the inning. He was on base when Nardone hit a sinking liner to center.  Coppin State centerfielder John Walls attempted a diving catch on the ball, but it got past him and rolled to the fence, allowing Nardone to circle the bases with an inside-the-park home run to give the Hornets a 4-0 lead. Later in the inning, Gatto doubled in his first two runs of the game to put DSU ahead by six.

After the Eagles scored a run in the fourth, the Hornets tallied six runs in the bottom of the inning to stretch their lead to 12-1. Cecil and Peter Broehl had run-scoring singles, while Frey brought home a run on a sacrifice fly in the inning. Gatto and Drummond were also credited with RBIs after drawing bases loaded walks in the fourth.

Gatto singled in two runs in Delaware State's three-run fifth inning. He drew another bases loaded walk in the sixth for his final RBI of the game.

Starter Matt McClain (7-3) pitched six innings to pick up the win for the Hornets.

Cecil was 5-for-9 with four RBI, while Sorondo drove in five runs in the doubleheader.

For the complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.coppinstatesports.com

Eagles Salvage Win In Series Finale Over Tigers

SAVANNAH, GA. (www.NCCUEaglePride.com) - For the first time in the modern era of the program, North Carolina Central earned a win against Savannah State in Savannah, Ga. in the final contest of the series, 12-8 on Sunday afternoon at Tiger Field.

NCCU bolted out in front at the top of the first with three runs on five hits including Drayton's third consecutive leadoff hit on the game's first pitch.  The Eagles got the ball rolling with four hits in-a-row that included RBI singles by Luis Diaz and Troy Marrow.

After a scoreless second inning, NCCU added two more runs in the third as senior Ross Plummer recorded career hit No. 100 to become the fifth Eagle in the modern era to reach that feat.  Tyler Murphy ripped a double and Drayton brought both runs in on an error by SSU shortstop Todd Hagen.  Heading into the bottom of the third, NCCU led 5-0.

Savannah State turned the tide on the Eagles in the bottom of the third as the Tigers scored six runs to take a 6-5 lead on three hits and a couple of NCCU errors in the frame. 

Sophomore Carter Williamson's huge RBI double in the top of the fourth drove in Marrow to give Williamson 36 RBI on the year and tied the game at 6-6.

After a scoreless fifth for SSU, the Eagles retook the lead with a run in the sixth inning to grab a 7-6 advantage off the bat of Drayton who brought in Murphy when Hagen's throw to first base slipped out of his hand and into the NCCU dugout.

NCCU added another run in the seventh to give the maroon and gray an 8-6 cushion, but the Tigers would not go away easily as Savannah State plated two runs in the bottom-half of the frame to knot the game once again at 8-8.

The turning point for the Eagles came in the top of the eighth inning with one out and Williamson at second base as junior Michael Romano drilled an RBI double to put NCCU ahead for good at 9-8 as the first baseman beat his chest in celebration, sending a jolt of enthusiasm into the visiting dugout with his clutch hit.

Junior lefty Gavin Guarrera closed the door on SSU in the eighth as he worked a 1-2-3 frame thanks to solid Eagle defense and NCCU put the game away in the top of the ninth with three more insurance runs that was highlighted by back-to-back singles to give Marrow 35 RBI on the year and Williamson drove in two more runs on his base hit as he has amassed a team-high 38 RBI to plate the game's final two runs and give the maroon and gray the 12-8 lead.

Guarrera shut down the Tigers in the bottom of the ninth to earn his third win of the season as he went two-and-two-thirds surrendering just one hit with one strikeout.

The Eagles recorded the second-most hits in a contest this season with 17 and four different student-athletes amassed at least three hits (Drayton 3-for-5, Marrow 3-for-6, Williamson, 3-for-5, Murphy 3-for-5).

Williamson led the NCCU offensive attack with two doubles, a run scored, and three RBI on the day.  Marrow provided another offensive spark with two runs scored, and two RBI.

For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com or www.ssuathletics.com