NSU Drops 2 to Open 2015 Season

WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Norfolk State softball team finally opened up its 2015 season on Saturday at the University Area Hampton Inn Showcase. The Spartans fell to Youngstown State by a 9-3 score before dropping the second game of the day to host UNC Wilmington, 8-1.

The Spartans managed just six hits over the course of the two games at Boseman Field. Youngstown State, meanwhile, scored in every inning it came to the plate. After a slow start, the host Seahawks scored seven runs over their last three innings at the plate as well.

NSU (0-2) scored first against the Penguins in the opening game Saturday morning. Three straight walks to start the first inning loaded the bases. A wild pitch and an RBI groundout by sophomore first baseman Kayla McNair made it 2-0 in favor of the Spartans.

YSU answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI double and a bases-loaded walk. Senior center fielder Alina Moriarty gave NSU the lead back in the second with an RBI double to center field, scoring senior catcher Sommer Di Fulgo.

The Penguins again tied it up when Cali Mikovich belted a solo homer in the bottom of the frame. YSU tallied single runs in the third and fourth innings for a 4-2 lead, and two extra base hits in the fifth plated two more. The Spartans had their best chance to score in the sixth when junior left fielder Heather Dunning and Moriarty hit back-to-back singles with two outs.

The Spartans could not push a run home, though, and the Penguins scored two more in the bottom of the sixth for the final margin.

Mikovich and Miranda Castiglione combined to go 7-for-7 with three RBI for YSU (3-4). NSU left 10 runners on base.

In an early afternoon matchup, freshman pitcher Marissa Marrero worked around five hits in the first two innings against UNC Wilmington, which led just 1-0 after three innings. The Seahawks then scored two in the bottom of the fourth on a pair of hits and five more runs, each on RBI hits, over the next two innings.

The Spartans scored their only run in the game on an RBI groundout by McNair in the sixth, scoring Dunning.

Moriarty had three of the team's six hits on the day.

Claudia Spinelli and starting pitcher Casey Rowland hit a combined 6-for-8 with four RBI for UNC Wilmington (8-4). Rowland also struck out 10 in the circle over six innings of work to earn the win.

NSU will play both teams again on Sunday during the second day of the tournament.

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