North Carolina A&T Sweeps Rattlers, 8-1, 6-0
GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 7)-Florida A&M dropped a doubleheader to North Carolina A&T as the Aggies won game 8-1 and blanked the Rattlers, 6-0 in game two, Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium.
FAMU (5-30, 3-8 MEAC) finished the contest with nine hits as Jarryd Reid finished the contest three-for-four from the plate.
N.C. A&T (12-18, 6-5 MEAC) tallied 11 hits in game one as they had three Aggies to finish with two hits each.
Paulino Estarlin (4-3) picked up the win for N.C. A&T as he struck out 11 batters, allowing one earned runs and seven hits in eight innings on the mound, while David Duncan (1-5) received the loss for the Rattlers he pitched seven and one-third inning, giving up nine hits, six earned runs and striking out four.
The Aggies would go on to win game on 8-1 as they scored two runs in the second, one in the third and three in the eight inning.
In game two, the Rattlers would manage four hits, while the Aggies tallied a game high 10 hits.
McKoy led the Aggies from the plate as he went a perfect three-for-three from the plate, while Scott Sheplak finished with two hits to lead the Rattlers.
Tyler Boone (3-4) picked the win in game two for N.C. A&T as he gave up four hits, and struck out two in seven innings on the mound for the Aggies, while John Roberts (0-4) received the loss as he gave up six hits, three earned runs and striking out three in three and one-third inning of work.
For the complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.ncataggies.com
Hawks Win Two To Sweep Season Series Against Coppin State
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - UMES completed a season sweep over Coppin State with a twinbill victory. The Hawks won game one 6-5 and the second contest 10-4 in seven innings to improve to 8-23 overall and 7-5 in-conference, while the Eagles fall to 0-29 and 0-8 in the MEAC.
The Hawks have won all six regular season games against Coppin State, sweeping the road series in Glen Burnie last weekend.
With Norfolk State falling in two games to Delaware State on Saturday, UMES is now in second place in the MEAC Northern Division.
The first three batters in the top of the first walked against UMES starter Jesus Hernandez. Zach Spahn singled to second to score Mike Wright. Zach Hawk followed with a sacrifice fly to right, bringing in Jesse Savage for an early 2-0 lead for the visitors.
The Hawks got back those runs in the bottom of the first. Stephen Bull walked and took second on a wild pitch. Byron Campbell reached on an error by the shortstop to put runners on the corners. With James Newsome batting, Coppin State starter Spahn (2-2) made a throwing error to first on a pickoff attempt to first, allowing Bull to score. On the same play, a throw to third got first the fielder, allowing Campbell to score and tie the game at two.
Hernandez buckled down and did not allow a run in the next three innings. He was replaced by Zachary Saca (2-2) in the fifth, finishing with four innings thrown, striking out two in the no decision.
The Eagles threatened in the final inning, including Aaron Jones hitting an RBI single and Coppin State putting the possible tying run on second, but Karim Gonzalez closed out the game to give UMES a 6-5 win.
Saca got the win in game one, throwing two innings of scoreless relief with a strikeout. Bernard Parker threw a scoreless eighth and Gonzalez earned the first save for UMES this season, allowing a run in the final inning and striking out one.
The loss went to Zach Spahn, allowing five runs in five innings pitched with eight strikeouts.
For the complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com or www.umeshawks.com
Hornets Strengthen MEAC North Lead With Sweep Of Norfolk State
Dover, Del. (Apr. 7, 2012) --- The MEAC North leading Delaware State baseball team improved to 7-1 in the division after a doubleheader sweep of second place Norfolk State at Soldier Field this afternoon.
The Hornets won the first game 10-2 and completed the sweep with a 5-4 seven-inning victory in the nightcap.
DSU is now 17-13-1 overall, while Norfolk State fell to 9-18 overall and 5-5 in the MEAC North.
In the opener, Eddie Sorondo and Joey Babuca drove in three runs each to lead the Hornets. Sorondo was 3-for-5 at the plate, while Troy Drummond and Ryan Haas had two hits each to lead the Hornets' 12-hit attack.
DSU scored four times in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run triple by Babuca and a two-run single by Sorondo, to stretch its lead to 10-1.
Starter Jordan Elliot (5-2) allowed seven hits and one run in 5.1 innings to earn the win for the Hornets.
In the nightcap, Aaron Nardone drove in the winning run with a bases loaded single in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The score was 4-4 entering the bottom of the seventh. Haas singled to lead off the inning. Sorondo followed with a walk to give the Hornets runners at second and first. DJ Miller then entered the game as a pinch runner for Haas and Nick Arrue came in to run for Sorondo. Frey followed with a single to load the bases. Nardone then singled to center field to score Miller with the game winning run.
Delaware State led 3-2 before Norfolk State scored twice in the fifth inning to take the lead. The Hornets tied the game at 4-4 on a one-out single in the bottom of the sixth.
Matt McClain went the distance to earn the win for DSU. He allowed eight hits and four runs, three earned, in seven innings.
Frey was 3-for-4, while Nardone and Cameron Cecil had two hits each in the nightcap for the Hornets.
For the complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.nsuspartans.com
Wildcats Come Through in the Clutch for 2-0 Series Lead on Savannah State
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Bethune-Cookman came through in the clutch in both phases of the game to jump out to a 2-0 series lead on Savannah State, Saturday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Game one proved to be a defensive struggle and the Wildcats held their ground to a 2-1 victory, while game two turned into a game of capitalizing on opportunity, and the Wildcats made timely plays to come out on top, 9-8.
Savannah State (11-20, 5-6 MEAC) made the first strike of the series, with a line drive homer just inside the left foul pole, but B-CU didn't let the lead simmer long.
Aggressive base running paid off for the Wildcats in the third, as Nick Johnson set the stage for Josh Johnson to tie it up with an RBI single through the left side gap. N. Johnson later put the 'Cats on top, sending out his own home run into the left field batting cages.
Starter Gabriel Hernandez (4-1) kept the pitching chess match in check through the final four innings, controlling the counts and earning the 2-1 win and complete game, with five strikeouts, one walk and the lone earned run, his only homer allowed this year and just second the last two seasons.
Today's nine innings marked Hernandez' third career complete game.
In game two, the Wildcats got up early, set off by a Brandon Turner triple down the right field line. Turner later made the short trip home on a David Lee RBI single into right center.
SSU used a wild pitch with a runner in scoring position and a pair of RBI singles to take a midgame lead on the Wildcats, but B-CU cashed in big in the next inning, taking advantage of what was given.
Two B-CU runners took home from a throw-out error on N. Johnson's sacrifice bunt attempt, knotting up the game at three. He would later score on a wild pitch to reclaim the lead. J. Johnson's RBI triple extended the lead, setting the stage for consecutive B-CU wild pitch scores to go up 7-3.
For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com or www.ssuathletics.com
NCCU AND LONGWOOD SPLIT BASEBALL DOUBLEHEADER
DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central used a season-high at home 14 hits to take game one of the Saturday twinbill, 10-6, against Longwood, but dropped game two 5-1 leaving 10 runners on base in the loss, splitting the doubleheader against the visiting Lancers at the Durham Athletic Park on Saturday afternoon.
Game one saw the Lancers set the tone early with a three run bomb with one out by catcher Scott Burkett giving Longwood the 3-0 in the top of the first frame, but that did nothing to deter the Eagles who entered the ballgame winners of five-in-a-row.
Six student-athletes for NCCU recorded at least two hits in game one (Drayton, Diaz, Marrow, Williamson, Romano, and Simpson). Romano, Simpson, and Williamson all recorded two RBI in the win.
The second game of the day saw junior Glenn Frye look equally as impressive on the hill as the Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and held it all the way until the fifth frame.
Despite trailing 5-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the maroon and gray certainly had chances to put runs on the board throughout the afternoon that included a bases loaded situation with one out where Drayton hit the ball right back to LU's Kyler Morgan who then turned a double play, getting the Lancers out of the jam.
Despite taking the loss, Frye recorded a season-high eight strikeouts and allowed only two earned runs while surrendering 10 hits to the Lancers. Longwood's Morgan threw a complete game seven innings scattering four hits and allowed just one run with three strikeouts.
For the complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com