Day's Homer, Horne's Complete Game Carry Spartans to 9-1 Win over UMES
NORFOLK, Va. - Sophomore outfielder Cameron Day hit his first collegiate home run and junior right hander Chris Horne pitched a complete game to carry Norfolk State to a 9-1 win over Maryland Eastern Shore on Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
Ross Cardwell and Tyon Ore added three hits and two RBI apiece for the Spartans (17-26, 11-9 MEAC), who out-hit UMES (11-34, 10-11) 14-8 to take the regular-season series from the Hawks 6-3.
Horne (5-5) scattered eight hits and did not walk a batter in earning his team-high fifth victory of the season. He fanned seven, matching his career high.
Day got the scoring started in loud fashion in the bottom of the first. UMES starter Jesus Hernandez struck out the first two batters he faced before running into trouble. Cardwell singled to center field and Day followed by launching his first career homer deep over the left-field wall for a 2-0 Spartan lead.
UMES cut its deficit in half on James Newsome's two-out RBI single in the top of the fourth. But the Spartans scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to extend their advantage to 5-1. In the fifth, Day doubled into the left-field corner. Ryan Montgomery then laid a bunt down the third-base line for an infield single, and the throw by Hernandez was errant to allow Day to score.
Cardwell and Ore each hit run-scoring singles in both the sixth and eighth innings. Shane Hoggard also added a two-run single in the eighth to pad the Spartans' lead to 9-1.
Cardwell and Ore each finished 3-for-4 and both matched their career highs in hits. Cardwell also scored a career-high three runs. Montgomery went 3-for-3 and reached base in all five of his plate appearances. Sunday marked his first game with at least three hits since March 25, when he was 4-for-5 at Coppin State.
Brandon Schott and Jeffrey Fleetwood had two hits apiece for UMES. Hernandez (0-6) took the loss after yielding nine hits and four runs in 5.1 innings.
For the complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.comn or www.umeshawks.com
Hornets Win 15th Straight In 2012 Home Finale
Dover, Del. (May 6, 2012) --- Zach Adkins pitched six solid innings and Eddie Sorondo had three hits to lead Delaware State to a 12-2 win over Coppin State in the Hornets' 2012 home finale at Soldier Field this afternoon. The game was stopped after DSU scored four times in the bottom of the seventh inning due to the 10-run rule.
Delaware State stretched its school-record win streak to 15 games to improve to 33-14-1 overall and 20-1 in MEAC North games.
Adkins, who did not give up a hit until a bunt single by Davan Smith in the sixth inning, won his fifth straight decision to improve to 7-1 this season. He allowed two hits and a run, while striking out five, in six innings of work.
The Hornets opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Peter Broehl singled to lead off the inning. He advanced to second a sacrifice bunt by Troy Drummond. Two batters later, Cameron Cecil drew a walk to give DSU runners at second and first with two outs. Ryan Haas singled up the middle to score Broehl with the first run of the game. Sorondo followed with a double, scoring Cecil to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead.
Delaware State added two runs in the fourth to open up a 4-0 lead. Aaron Nardone, who led off the inning with a single, scored the first run on sacrifice fly by Drummond. Tony Gatto scored the second run when he crossed the plate while Scott Davis was caught in a rundown between first and second with two out.
The Hornets scored four runs on just one hit in the fifth to stretch their lead to 8-0. DSU scored on a Coppin State error, a sacrifice fly, a hit batter with the bases full and a bases loaded walk in the inning.
Coppin State scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to cut the Hornets' lead to 8-2.
Delaware State ended the game with four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Drummond singled in a run and Cecil had a two-run single in the inning. The game was called when JP Frey singled in Davis with two outs in the seventh to give the Hornets a 12-2 Lead.
DSU's 33 wins this season are the third best in team history, trailing on the 2002 (40-19) and 2001 (37-10) squads.
The Hornets posted a 20-7-1 record at home this season.
For the complete story, visit www.dsuhornets.com or www.coppinstatesports.com
Wildcats Give Up Late Game Lead in 4-3 Finale Loss at Miami
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - The Wildcats took the toughest loss of the series with #19 Miami, Sunday at Alex Rodriguez Park, giving up a final frame lead in the come-from-behind 4-3 Hurricanes win on a walk-off sacrifice in the bottom of the ninth.
The Hurricanes jumped on top early, making quick work in capitalizing on B-CU miscues, with leadoff batter Stephen Perez reaching on a wild pitch third strike and later coming in on a sacrifice fly to go up 1-0.
Josh Johnson collected the game's first base hit in the top of the fourth, working in position and scoring on Nick Johnson's RBI single on a soft chopper inside the reach of the shortstop, evening up the game at 1-1.
The first two UM batters of the bottom half walked, coming back to bite B-CU with a sacrifice fly to put UM back on top.
However, the Wildcats again responded in the top of the fifth, as J. Johnson hit an easy drifter into shallow left center for an RBI single, knotting the score at 2-all.
Facing a new pitcher in the eighth, J. Johnson led off with a single right back at the pitcher, and made the move to third on a Brandon Turner single to right. A perfectly executed double steal stalls the Miami first baseman long enough for Johnson to take home plate and claim B-CU's first lead of the day.
B-CU held the Hurricanes in the eighth, but was not able to put up any key insurance runs, retired in order in the top of the ninth.
A pair of Miami singles over the infielders set the stage, and a walk loaded the bases. Facing a tightened strike zone, pinch hitter Alexander Fernandez collected a base on balls RBI to tie the game at 3-3. Bases loaded with one out spelled trouble as designated hitter Michael Broad successfully put one in the air to center field for the walk-off sac fly, giving Miami the 4-3 win.
Ali Simpson (2-1, 3.86 ERA) completed 3.1 innings without a hit, striking out five. Jairo Acevedo came in relief going 3.2 innings with three K's, no runs given up, and three hits allowed. Scott Garner (3-4, 5.93) took the loss after putting the final run on base before Jordan Dailey took the mound to close out.
J. Johnson 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Nick Johnson also collected an RBI.
For the complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
Eagles Sweep Florida A&M
DURHAM, N.C. - North Carolina Central University played two contests on Senior Day and the Eagles sent all three veterans off in style by gutting out a 4-2 win in the resumed contest from Saturday and erased a 3-1 deficit to finish off the sweep with a 4-3 victory on Sunday afternoon against Florida A&M at the Durham Athletic Park.
Etienne Farquharson, Sam Fulmer, and Ross Plummer were honored with a Senior Day ceremony prior to first pitch as they competed in front of the Eagle faithful for the final time at home.
Game two of the series was a resumption of a contest that began on Saturday afternoon and the Eagles struck first in the bottom of the third inning of a scoreless contest as sophomore Alex Moore reached base on a one out walk. Moore moved into scoring position by stealing second base and sophomore Dylan Drayton drove in the first run with a single to right centerfield putting NCCU up 1-0. Luis Diaz followed that up with a two-out RBI single through the right side giving the Eagles a 2-0 cushion.
Florida A&M plated a run in the fourth and fifth inning to tie the game at 2-2, but the maroon and gray answered right back. Drayton reached to begin bottom of the fifth on a Rattler error later scoring on Carter Williamson's single through the right side to give the sophomore 41 RBI on the season, adding to the new single season record, placing NCCU ahead 3-2. The final run of the frame came on a Plummer flyball that was dropped by FAMU's Aaron Smith to give the Eagles the 4-2 advantage after five complete.
The Rattlers could not muster any offense in the last two innings as Glenn Frye earned his third win of the season and junior lefty Gavin Guarerra earned the save by throwing one pitch and the Eagles took game two of the series 4-2. Frye went six-and-two thirds innings surrendering only five hits and two runs with three walks and two strikeouts to give him 140 in his career.
Williamson was the lone Eagle who recorded multiple hits going 2-for-3 with an RBI in the win.
FAMU's Heath Blackburn put on a note worthy pitching performance going six innings allowing five hits with only two earned runs with three walks and two strikeouts.
The final game of the series was another low scoring affair that saw NCCU hold a 1-0 lead for more than half the game.
In the bottom of the first inning sophomore Tyson Simpson drilled his eighth double of the year to rev the Eagle offensive attack in gear. With two outs sophomore Troy Marrow singled through the right side to give NCCU the 1-0 advantage and drive in RBI No. 36 on the year.
Florida A&M tried to rally the troops one last time in the sixth inning as the Rattlers Jared Walker began the frame with a bunt single. After a Khiry Hernandez sacrifice bunt to put Walker in scoring position, Ty Lawson laid down another bunt and successfully made it to first base to place runners at the corners with one out. Lawson moved to second on a passed ball and Michael Birdsong cleared the bases with a bloop single that drove in two runs and gave FAMU the 2-1 lead. Romano minimized the damage by striking out Jaylin Earl to end the inning.
In the seventh, Florida A&M added another run to make it 3-1 on the heels of a lead off double by Daniel Lee and later scored on a single up the middle by Hernandez putting the Rattlers up 3-1. FAMU could have done much more damage if it weren't for the 1-6-3 double play turned by Romano and Drayton to slow down the Rattler attack.
After the seventh inning stretch the Eagles made their move as designated hitter Anthony Wilson was hit by a pitch with one out. Drayton followed that up with a hard liner to the right side to put runners on with one out. After a Simpson walk to load the bases, Diaz struck out and Marrow tied the game up a 3-3 with an infield single as he beat out a throw to first base and was flipped over FAMU first baseman Justin Abney who left the game due to injury. Marrow was not hurt and the momentum at that point changed hands to the team clad in maroon and gray.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Plummer in his final at-bat reached on a walk and was moved into scoring position by Farquharson. After a wild pitch moved Plummer to third base, freshman Tyler Murphy drove in the game-winning run with a single to right field to give the freshman 10 RBI on the year.
Guarerra came on in-relief in the ninth inning and finished off the Rattlers to earn the series sweep as NCCU held on for the 4-3 win, earning its fourth straight win to end the conference regular season slate.
The Eagles went unbeaten against Florida A&M this season going 6-0. FAMU still leads the all-time series 9-7.
Romano earned the win despite giving up 10 hits through the last four innings as surrendered three earned runs with three strikeouts. FAMU's (7-41, 5-16 MEAC) David Duncan pitched another fine ballgame scattering seven hits in the loss with three earned runs allowed and two strikeouts.
For the complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com or www.nccueaglepride.com