NORFOLK, Va. - Alex Mauricio had three hits and outfielder Angel Rosario hit his first homer as a Spartan to help Norfolk State beat Virginia Commonwealth for the first time since 1977 on Tuesday night at Marty L. Miller Field, 6-3.
The win helped the Spartans (24-13) snap a 14-game losing streak to the Rams (26-22) dating to the teams' first meeting in 1977, which NSU won. The win also avenged last week's 14-6 NSU loss to VCU in Richmond. In that contest, VCU recorded 16 hits, but five Spartan pitchers combined to hold the Rams to half that total on Tuesday.
Brett Hileman gave VCU a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the first. Rosario tied things up in the bottom of the second when he launched the first pitch of the inning from Tyler Buckley over the 14-foot-high wall in right field, his first homer of the season.
Hileman led off the fourth inning with a triple off Lane Ward, who relieved NSU starter Michael Parmentier to start the frame. Jimmy Kerrigan followed with an RBI single to give the Rams a 2-1 edge.
But NSU claimed its first lead in the bottom of the fourth and never looked back. Ryan Kilmon's single through the left side of the infield scored Roger Hall, who reached on an error to lead off the frame. Mauricio broke the tie with a two-out RBI single to right, scoring Rosario, who walked earlier in the inning.
NSU added three more runs in the fifth and sixth innings to put distance between itself and the Rams. Denathan Dukes led off the fifth by reaching on an error, then stole second. VCU reliever Ben Stine then walked the next three hitters, including a free pass to Rosario with the bases loaded to force in a run.
With two outs and the bases still loaded, the Spartan baserunners thought Stine had walked Kyle Vaas to force in another run. What would have been the fourth ball of the at-bat was called a strike by the home plate umpire and VCU caught NSU base runner Mikey Bruno straying too far off third. But Bruno eluded the run-down and scored on a bizarre steal of home to put the Spartans ahead 5-2.
Dukes tacked on an RBI single in the sixth to stretch the lead to 6-2.
VCU drew within 6-3 when Hileman walked in the eighth and scored on a wild pitch by Josh Vales, the Spartans' fourth pitcher of the night. But Cooper Jones replaced Vales and escaped further damage in the eighth when third baseman Troy Applin made a diving stop of a grounder down the line by speedy VCU lead-off man Logan Farrar, and threw out Farrar at first by a hair to keep the Rams at bay.
Jones then worked around a lead-off single in the ninth by striking out the final three batters of the game for his third save of the season. Jones fanned four in two scoreless innings of relief.
Ward (1-1) picked up the first win of his NSU career by pitching two strong innings of relief.
The Spartan defense came up with several huge plays in the ballgame. In addition to Applin's eight-inning gem, Bruno threw out a VCU baserunner at the plate in the sixth. Later in the sixth, NSU turned a difficult 9-4-6 double play when Rosario track down a deep fly ball off the bat of Walker Haymaker near the wall in right. Rosario then made a strong relay throw to cut-off man Hall, who threw out James Bunn who tagged up and tried to reach second on the play.
Mauricio tied his career high with three hits, scored a run and knocked in another. Rosario finished 1-for-2 with the homer, two runs scored and two RBI.
Hileman, Kerrigan and Vimael Machin had two hits apiece for the Rams, the second Atlantic-10 team NSU has defeated this year. The Spartans also won at Richmond last month.
NSU also improved to 13-1 at home this season and has now won 13 straight at Marty L. Miller Field. The Spartans put that streak on the line Thursday, when they host Jackson State in a doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m. NSU will recognize its seniors between games Thursday, and a post-game fireworks show will follow the second game of the double-dip.
Fans are also asked to bring a $5 donation or bring five non-perishable food items to support the Food Bank of the Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore on Thursday.