Kimbrough and Alexander pace Hornets past Spartans
NORFOLK, Va. – David Kimbrough and Mike Alexander each had four of Delaware State’s 19 hits as the Hornets took the rubber game of their MEAC Northern Division baseball series with Norfolk State, 18-8, on Sunday afternoon at Marty L. Miller Field.
Alexander and Hassan Evans both knocked in three runs for DSU (10-5, 2-1 MEAC), which posted the most runs and hits against NSU (4-15, 1-2) this season.
Freshman third baseman Justin Burrell had a season and career-best three hits, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two runs batted in for the Spartans.
DSU wasted little time jumping on NSU. The Hornets took advantage of four walks and two hit batters, in addition to Evans’ two-run double, to plate four runs in the first.
Alexander added an RBI double in the second, but the Spartans answered with two runs in the second and two in the third. Burrell had an RBI double and Omar Hotusing added an RBI groundout in the second. In the third, Kyle Vaas tripled in Zach Markel, who doubled to lead off the frame. Tyon Ore singled in Vaas later in the inning to bring NSU within 6-5.
But the Hornets didn’t let up, scoring four times in the fourth and five more in the sixth to pull away. Richard Rodriguez’s RBI single in the top of the eighth enabled DSU to end the game early due to the 10-run rule.
Markel was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored for NSU, which scored at least one run in the first six innings. Vaas and Hotusing both knocked in two runs.
Zach Candeloro (1-2) picked up the win for the Hornets. He allowed three hits and two runs in two innings. Josh Vales (1-3) took the loss for the Spartans. He allowed four runs in one inning of work.
Kimbrough scored five runs for DSU, which also got two hits each from Evans, Rodriguez, Aaron Nardone, Cameron Onderko and Charles Dailey.
NSU hosts two mid-week games this week at Marty L. Miller Field. The Spartans play Lafayette at 3 p.m. Tuesday and North Carolina Central at 3 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
North Carolina A&T Outlasts Bethune-Cookman Rally in Conference Series Final, 12-8
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (10-10, 5-4 MEAC) fell to the North Carolina A&T Aggies (8-10, 4-2 MEAC) in the series final at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Sunday in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) baseball action, with the Aggies coming from behind in the middle innings and holding off a late-game Wildcats rally.
All it took was 12 pitches for the Wildcats to get on the board, as right fielder Josh Johnson led off with a grounder and was joined by center fielder Jake Welch, who reached as a hit batter. Both advanced on a Jose Carballo sacrifice bunt. Designated hitter Austin Garcia sent Johnson to the plate with a sacrifice fly to left field, giving B-CU the 1-0 lead.
Shortstop Jordan Robinson extended the Wildcats’ lead in the bottom of the second, scoring on a wild pitch.
The Aggies trimmed the lead in the top of the third, as center fielder Bo McMillan reached base as a hit batter, advanced to second on a pickoff error and reached third on a wild pitch. Shortstop Luke Tendler brought him in for the score on an RBI single to center field.
Trailing the Wildcats 2-1, the Aggies took advantage of four walks in the fourth inning, scoring seven runs on five hits. The Aggies faced three pitchers in the frame and freshman Greg Minier closed out the frame on a flyout to center field.
The Wildcats made a push to draw down the deficit over the next five innings, beginning with a sacrifice fly for left fielder Eros Modena in the bottom of the fifth, bringing in Carballo. Robinson also batted in Garcia on an RBI groundout for two runs in the inning. B-CU added three more runs in the seventh to trim the deficit to just two runs at 9-7, courtesy of a two-run Modena double fired over third base, in addition to a Robinson backside single to bring Modena home.
The Wildcats’ final scoring push came in the eighth, as Modena threaded an RBI triple down the right field line.
Despite the rally, the Wildcats struggled to keep the Aggies off the board, as North Carolina A&T tallied four runs with scores in the sixth, eighth and ninth, maintaining breathing room for the 12-8 N.C. A&T victory, taking the series victory as well, 2-1.
Scott Garner (1-3) takes the loss for the Wildcats, pitching 3.2 innings and striking out five. For the Aggies, Mitchell McQueen (2-3) earned the win, throwing five frames with two strikeouts.
The Wildcats pounded out 13 hits in the conference contest, but 10 free bases via eight walks, and two hit batters, proved too much of an advantage in the Aggies’ favor.
Leading the charge at the plate, Modena went 3-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored. Johnson scored one run and batted three-for-six.
The Wildcats return to action at Jackie Robinson Ballpark on Tuesday in a rematch with North Florida. The Ospreys (9-9) earned a 2-1 series victory over conference-mate USC Upstate with a 4-3 win on Sunday in Jacksonville.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com or www.ncataggies.com
Hawks explode late in first MEAC win
BALTIMORE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team saw four players record three hits games on Sunday afternoon as the Hawks picked up a 14-3 victory over Coppin State at Joe Cannon Stadium. The win was the first of the year for UMES in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, where their record is now 1-2.
With the decision, UMES moves to 3-10, 1-2 MEAC, while Coppin State drops to 4-9, 2-1 MEAC.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings, before Coppin State erupted with two runs in the bottom half of the fourth. The lead by the Eagles did not last long, however, as UMES scored five in the fifth to take a three-run lead.
Senior Stephen Bull walked to open the inning and came around to score on the first of two RBIs on the day by freshman Justin Dattilo. Junior Greg Turlik knocked in senior Byron Campbell the following at-bat, before the Hawks scored three more runs to bat around in the frame.
Following a scoreless inning tossed by junior Chipper Smith (Florence, S.C.) UMES used four hits and one error to score another four runs in the sixth. UMES scored two runs in the seventh and sophomore Jordan Bone held sway for the next three innings.
UMES was led by sophomore Connor Breslin, who was 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBI. The third baseman enjoyed his finest game of the season as he ripped a double and came through with several big at-bats. Campbell was 3-for-5 with four runs scored, while Turlik was 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs.
Bone (1-0) was credited with the win after he pitched three innings and allowed just one earned run. Smith threw well in his third start of the year by allowing six hits and two walks in four innings. UMES left 14 runners on base in the game, but did not make an error defensively.
Randal Mendez paced CSU with a 3-for-3 and two-RBI performance. William Brown had the other RBI with one hit and leadoff hitter, Jeffrey Fitch, walked twice. William Grebenstein (1-3) was saddled with the loss after allowing eight hits and five runs in 4.1 innings pitched.
UMES looks to keep up its winning ways this week when the Hawks travel to Durham, N.C., to take on Duke on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The game is the first of two for UMES on their spring break trip, as they travel to UNC Greensboro on Wednesday at 6 p.m. as well.